Sierra Leone’s electoral commission has officially declared President Julius Bio as the winner of the presidential election. According to a report by Voice of America (VOA), Chief Electoral Commissioner Mohamed Konneh announced on Tuesday that President Bio secured 56.17 percent of the vote, securing a second term.
His main rival, Samura Kamara of the All People’s Congress (APC), came in second with 41.16 percent of the vote.
However, the APC rejected the results, expressing concerns about the lack of inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability in the electoral process. The party criticized the electoral commission for not providing detailed information about the origins of the ballots from polling stations or districts.
In a statement, the APC stated that they would not accept what they called “fake and cooked-up results.” They alleged instances of “overvoting” in certain areas and reaffirmed their claim of victory.
International observers, including the European Union observers, also raised concerns about the lack of transparency and communication from the electoral authority, which contributed to mistrust in the electoral process. The observers noted incidents of violence at polling units during voting hours, as well as during the closing and counting stages.