Opposition vows not to take part in Sierra Leone governance

Sierra Leone’s main opposition party has said it will not take part in any level of governance in the country, from parliament to local councils, following what it called “fraudulent” presidential election results.

President Julius Maada Bio was re-elected for a second term in the first round of voting with 56.17 percent of the ballots, according to results released by the electoral commission Tuesday, which have been contested by the opposition and local organisations. 

International observers noted the “statistical inconsistencies” between the partial results and the final results and condemned “the lack of transparency” in the ballot count, while calling for peaceful dialogue to resolve differences.

The opposition All People’s Congress (APC), whose leader Samura Kamara came in second with 41.16 percent of the vote, said late Friday that it would not tolerate “injustice, tyranny and usurpation of power in Sierra Leone”.

“The APC declares its non-participation in any level of governance, including the legislature and local councils, as the results have already been tampered with to give the SLPP an unjust majority at all levels,” it said, referring to Bio’s Sierra Leone People’s Party.

“The APC unequivocally rejects the announced results… given the glaring irregularities and violations of established electoral procedures,” it said.

It issued a series of demands, including the resignation of the electoral commissioners, accusing them of “bias and failure to conduct their duties impartially”.

The party also called for an election rerun within six months, saying the vote must be “overseen by credible individuals and institutions who will ensure a fair and transparent process”.

It demanded the resignation of several officials, and called on “international partners to impose travel bans on a dozen leading figures in power, including the President”.

It called the current government a “dictatorship” that is “usurping power”. 

The APC claims the final results announced do not correspond with the total number cast at each polling station. 

The results of the local and legislative elections, which took place on the same day a week ago, are expected this weekend.

The APC has warned against similar discrepancies in the results of Freetown, where the outgoing mayor is a prominent opposition figure. 

The National Security Bureau, a government organisation in charge of homeland security, has said the alternative results announced by civil society organisations, and the “lack of transparency” condemned in a joint statement by six Western diplomats, could provoke “harmful consequences” and “unjustified tension”, even though the election was generally calm.