As the race for the All People’s Congress (APC) District Chairmanship in Port Loko enters a decisive phase, the campaign has become more than an internal party contest. It is increasingly being viewed as a referendum on the kind of leadership the party needs to rebuild its grassroots structures, heal internal divisions and position itself for future electoral battles. Aspirants are now competing not only for delegates’ votes but also for the confidence of party loyalists eager to see the APC emerge stronger and more united.
Among the leading contenders is Adel Karim Dandas, the incumbent APC Constituency 070 Chairman for Marampa Chiefdom, whose campaign has centred on his decades of party service, organisational experience and record of community leadership. Presenting himself as a unifier with a proven ability to mobilise support at the grassroots, Dandas is urging delegates to choose experience over rhetoric as the contest gathers momentum across Port Loko District.
Our visiting reporter, Lawal Mohammed, continues his coverage of Sierra Leone’s unfolding political landscape by taking readers onto Dandas’ campaign trail. In this latest dispatch, he examines the messages, strategy and growing support behind one of the APC’s most closely watched chairmanship bids, offering insight into how the outcome could influence the party’s direction in one of its key political strongholds
The campaign for the All People’s Congress (APC) Port Loko District Chairmanship is gathering momentum, with Marampa Chiefdom Constituency 070 Chairman, Adel Karim Dandas, positioning himself as the experienced hand who can reunite the party and prepare it for future electoral contests. As delegates weigh their choices ahead of the internal party election, Dandas has shifted his campaign message from political promises to what he describes as a proven record of service, grassroots mobilisation and organisational leadership.
In a series of campaign messages released to party supporters, the long-serving APC stalwart presented himself as “a political warrior, a strategist and a unifier,” arguing that more than three decades of loyalty to the party have equipped him to steer the district through a period when unity and electoral preparedness are paramount. He insists he is seeking not popularity but the confidence of delegates to lead what he calls “one strong family, not factions.”
Dandas, who currently serves as APC Constituency 070 Chairman in Marampa Chiefdom, has built his campaign around three central themes: electoral success, party cohesion and grassroots development. He argues that his experience at constituency level has given him an intimate understanding of local political dynamics and the organisational discipline needed to strengthen the party’s structures across Port Loko District.
The campaign also highlights a string of public recognitions received over the past year as evidence of his leadership credentials. According to his campaign, Dandas has been honoured six times, including recognition at the Marampa Legendary Awards, the Bai Bureh Service Delivery Awards and the Ultimate Northern Icon Awards, where he was named Regional Political Figure of the Year and Political Humanitarian of the Year. His team says the accolades reflect sustained public service rather than personal achievement.
Framing the awards as a mandate for greater responsibility, Dandas says he intends to bring a results-driven approach to the district chairmanship, promising inclusive leadership, stronger grassroots engagement and practical development initiatives across communities in Port Loko District. His campaign argues that the recognition he has received should be viewed as evidence of his ability to convert political leadership into measurable outcomes.
Supporters have intensified efforts to consolidate backing ahead of the vote, describing the contest as a defining moment for both the district and the APC. Campaign organisers are urging party faithful to provide moral, logistical and financial support, maintaining that Dandas’ record in Marampa Chiefdom demonstrates the type of leadership needed to strengthen the party’s fortunes in the district.
Political observers say the APC district elections are expected to test competing visions for the party’s future, with aspirants seeking to convince delegates that they possess both the organisational capacity and the political credibility required to lead the party into its next chapter. For Adel Karim Dandas, the campaign message is unmistakable: experience, recognition and service, rather than rhetoric alone, should determine who leads Port Loko District.
