Sierra Leone’s main opposition party, the All People’s Congress (APC), has officially rejected the results of the national election, calling for a rerun due to “glaring irregularities” and violations of established electoral procedures. President Julius Maada Bio was re-elected for a second term with 56% of the vote, narrowly avoiding a run-off against his main rival, Samura Kamara of the APC. However, Kamara has questioned the official tally and European election observers have noted statistical inconsistencies.
In their first official statement on the full results, the APC criticized the outcome, stating, “We can no longer tolerate injustice, tyranny, and usurpation of power in Sierra Leone. This is what dictatorship looks like.” They demanded the resignation of election commission officials and a rerun of both presidential and parliamentary elections within six months. Additionally, they threatened to ask foreign powers to impose travel bans on President Bio, his wife, and several ministers and senior officials.
In response, Sierra Leone’s Information Minister, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, dismissed the APC’s call for a second vote, stating that it is unconstitutional and can only happen through a Supreme Court decision. He also defended President Bio, saying, “A president who has led his people so well that they just renewed his mandate through democratic means cannot be subjected to sanctions.”
The standoff between the ruling party and the opposition could potentially worsen tensions that led to violence before, during, and after the vote. International concerns about transparency in the vote-counting process and significant logistical problems have been expressed by the United States, Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, and the EU. The election commission plans to publish disaggregated results data per polling station to allow for closer public scrutiny, but this process will take time.
The results of parliamentary and local council elections are expected to be announced soon. However, the APC has already stated their intention to reject these results and not participate in any level of governance. The government hopes they will reconsider this decision, as they aim for a truly multiparty parliament.
Sierra Leone now finds itself at a critical juncture where the credibility of its democratic process is under scrutiny. As the nation awaits further developments, the call for a rerun reflects a deep-seated dissatisfaction among the opposition and a challenge to the legitimacy of the election results.
