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BRIAN DID THE MATHS CORRECTLY AND I FULLY
AGREE WITH HIM THAT IS ONE REASON I CALLED THE
ELECTION MY EARLIA POST DAYS AGO. IT'S VERY
CLEAR AND BIO SHOULD SIMPLY CONCEED DEFEAT
WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DELAY.
(Please read this brief- thanks to Cocorioko 22 Nov 2012)
Brian Conton
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| b |
Brian Conton
Jesmed, thanks. The truth of the matter is that the maths is neither red nor
green. It is straightforward. The SLPP was never dealt an easy hand in this
election. If you look at the populations of the different provinces and their
respective registered voters, in order for SLPP to win a simple majority the
following has to happen. Let us first of all assume the North will be 100% APC
for simplicity sake. Bio would have to first mobilize 100% of the electorate to
ensure that there are no voided ballots and have the 100% of the South and East
vote green. Then he has to ensure that over 60% of the west votes SLPP as well.
Under any
condition. Without significant participation of Port Loko, Bombali and/or
Kambia it is difficult for the SLPP to win. As soon as APC started getting 4-5
polling centres inside of Bo, the most densely populated area of the South,
with 40-50% that meant that 100% was not possible in the south. In addition in
Kono which is the second most densly populated region in the east APC in the
first few announcements was scoring 50-60% of the vote. For every 3% lost in
the South or East you have to make up 2% beyond the 60% in the West. With those
figures the SLPP had to win 100% of the West to gain back what it was losing in
the South and East Not only this was not happening in most of the results the
APC was winning 66% of the West vote.
If you knew the
math and understood the dynamics it was obvious in the first ten minutes of
results announcement that an SLPP win was impossible. The numbers just were not
there.55% in the first round is very difficult. The West actually only
determines a victory with a simple majority. This is because the expansion of
APC votes in the West is finite. The 55% pathway tipping point is the East and
additionally the President was gaining significantly in the South. The APC just
had to run up some numbers in big population centres. As long as it can keep
15% in the South and 20% in the East it will get the 55% (right now it seems to
be doing better than this).
However none of the
party stalwarts can see past their blinkers. In keeping hope alive in their
supporters, they are making the outcome more difficult to accept. Ultimately
the electorate does not accept defeat when it hears it from the NEC. It has to
hear it from its own gurus. Those on this forum that are delaying the
inevitable in the face of the obvious are playing a dangerous game. For the sake of peace
and stability they need to make it known that at this point SLPP victories is
impossible and start ratcheting down expectations. This is the responsibility of leadership
especially when your community has paid for you to darken the doors of an
institution of higher learning. Your intellectual horsepower is supposed to
enable you to overcome partisan blindness. Your country needs you now.
One Response to Sierra Leonean Intellectual Admonishes SLPP To Start
Preparing The Minds Of Their Supporters For Defeat Because The Figures Do Not
Support Them To Win
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CREDIBILITY GIVEN TO THE 17 NOVEMBER SIERRA LEONE MULTI TIER ELECTIONS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS BY INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL AUTHORITIES -BIO & CO MUST HIDE THEIR FACES IN SHAME FOR POTENTIAL MEYHEM!!
PRELIMINARY DECLARATION : ECOWAS OBSERVATION MISSION TO THE 17
NOVEMBER 2012 GENERAL ELECTIONS IN THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE
Nov 20, 2012.
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I.
Introduction
1. Pursuant to the Constitutional
Convergence Principles of the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good
Governance (2001), and within the framework of the Program of Assistance to
Member States organizing elections, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, His
Excellency Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, deployed an ECOWAS Observer Mission (EOM) to
monitor the conduct of the Presidential, Parliamentary, Council, and Mayoral
elections, which took place concurrently in Sierra Leone on 17 November 2012.
2. The Mission, made up of 150
observers, includes delegations drawn from the ECOWAS Council of the Wise, West
African Ambassadors accredited to Abuja, and the Community Parliament and Court
of Justice. It also includes experts drawn from the relevant Ministries and Electoral
Management Bodies of Member States, Civil Society Organizations, and the Media.
It is led by Air Vice-Marshall Christian Edem Dovlo, Commandant of the Kofi
Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Accra, and supported
by the Vice-President of the ECOWAS Commission and a technical team from the
Commission.
3. Prior to the deployment, ECOWAS had
been monitoring the political and security situation in the country in the
build-up to the elections through its Early Warning Mechanism. In September
2012, the President of the Commission dispatched a Fact-Finding Mission to the
country to interact with the principal stakeholders in the electoral process,
with a view to assessing the state of preparedness for the elections
II.
Arrival and Deployment
4. The ECOWAS Observer Mission began
arriving in the country on 11 November 2012. The Mission maintained contacts
with the State authorities; interacted with the media; and held consultations
with other observer missions, including the African Union, the European Union,
the Commonwealth, the National Elections Watch, and the Women’s Situation Room.
It also monitored the concluding phase of the electioneering campaign.
5. Following a briefing and orientation
session on 15 November 2012, teams of ECOWAS Observers were deployed to 64
towns and villages throughout the fourteen Administrative Districts of Sierra
Leone. These include 14 localities in Freetown (Western Area Urban I, Urban II,
and Rural); 7 in Kenema; 4 in Kono; 5 in Kailahun; 5 in Bombali; 3 in Kambia; 5
in Port Loko; 4 in Tonkolili; 3 in Koinadugu; 6 in Bo; 2 in Bonthe; 4 in
Moyamba; and 2 in Pujehun.
6. While in the field, the ECOWAS
observers maintained contact with the Mission Situation Room in Freetown and
with other missions. A team of observers also monitored proceedings at the
National Tallying Centre in Freetown.
III.
Preliminary Observations and Recommendations
7. Having analyzed dispatches and
reports from team leaders in the field, and after a debriefing session with
returning observers, the ECOWAS Observer Mission to the 2012 General Elections
in Sierra Leone wishes to make a Preliminary Declaration on the electioneering
campaign and developments on Election Day, 17 November 2012, as follows:
A. The Campaign, Opening of the Poll,
Polling, Counting and Collation
i. Overall, the concluding phases of
the electioneering campaign were colorful, enthusiastic, and boisterous. They
passed off peacefully without any major incidents, helped by the holding of
campaigns on alternate days and the vigilance of the security agencies.
ii. Except in a few cases, the media
was polarized, partisan, and intemperate, reflecting the sharp Red – Green
divide of the country’s political landscape between the All Peoples Congress
(APC) and the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP).
iii. The Cooling-Off Day (16 November
2012) was generally observed.
iv. On Election Day, voters were
observed in teeming numbers at the polling centers long before the official
poll opening time of 7:00 am. A few had spent the night at the centers while
several others had arrived as early as 4:00 am.
v. The demographic spread among the
voters showed a predominance of women and the youth.
vi. There was conspicuous but
unobtrusive presence of security agents at most of the polling centers
observed. Security was provided by the Sierra Leone Police Force, supplemented
by the Fire Service, Local Council Security and other para-security agencies.
vii. Overall, the political parties and
their followers respected the prohibition of the display of party colors and
symbols on Election Day.
viii. The vehicular restrictions put in
place on Election Day, including manned check-points at vantage points around
Freetown and other cities, greatly improved electoral security, even though
they constrained the ability of some voters to exercise their franchise.
ix. In the main, polling officials were
on the scene at most of the polling centers in advance of the official opening
time.
x. Party agents of APC and SLPP were
present at the opening of polls at all the polling stations observed. In
addition, some other agents of between one and three other political parties
were also observed, in particular the People’s Movement for Democratic Change
(PMDC), Democratic People’s Alliance (DPA) and Independent candidates.
xi. Essential electoral materials were
in place in most of the polling centers observed, and the polls opened within
30 to 60 minutes of the official opening time of 7:00 am.
xii. However, materials arrived late in
a few polling centers, causing delays in the commencement of polling. Instances
observed included SLMB Primary School in Port Loko (Code 0701), where materials
arrived at 10:05 am; Kondembaya’s Court Barry in Koinadugu District, Bombali
and some parts of the Gbong District, where voting did not start until after
3:00 pm in some instances.
xiii. At the opening of polls, Polling
Center Queue Controllers at the centers visited struggled to maintain order due
to a combination of insufficient numbers, and the influx and enthusiasm of
voters; the situation improved gradually with time.
xiv. In the early hours of voting, the
Voter Enquiry Officers were too few and professionally unprepared to guide
voters to their designated polling stations, leading to frustration. The
situation was worsened by the difficulty in identifying designated polling
stations from the displayed serial numbers of voters.
xv. In some areas, the physically
challenged, the aged and nursing mothers, encountered difficulties in accessing
polling stations.
xvi. Despite the challenges, voters
exhibited maximum patience and perseverance in their determination to exercise
their civic rights and responsibilities.
xvii. The voting process was slow at
the beginning, complicated by the sheer number of elections being conducted, On
the average, it took between 4 and 5 minutes to complete the voting cycle.
However, as the polling officials warmed to the task, the pace quickened.
xviii. The polling officials
demonstrated adequate professionalism in carrying out their duties while party
agents ably watched over their party and candidates’ interests.
xix. International and regional
observers were present in most polling centers visited. These included, besides
ECOWAS observers, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), European Union
(EU), African Union (AU), the Commonwealth, Carter Centre, British High
Commission and American Embassy, the Women’s Situation Room, and the Women’s
Observer Mission. Effective presence of Local Observers, was also recorded, led
by the National Elections Watch (NEW), and including Human Rights Commission of
Sierra Leone (HRCSL), the Political Parties Registration Commission, Sierra
Leone Action Network on Small Arms (SLANSA), Council of Churches in Sierra
Leone (CCSL), Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church (JPCCC),
Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU).
xx. On the whole, the voting process
took place in an orderly, transparent and professional manner, and secrecy of
the ballot was in the main ensured.
xxi. By 3:00 pm, most of the electorate
who wished to do so, had exercised their franchise.
xxii. In most polling stations
observed, the polls closed at the official time of 5:00 pm except in the cases
where materials arrived too late.
xxiii. The sorting, counting, tallying,
and reconciliation of the ballot, as well as the declaration and certification
of results at the polling stations, were carried out in a professional,
transparent and credible manner, and under the watch of party agents and
observers.
B. Challenges Observed
8. Besides the deficiencies noted
above, the ECOWAS Observer Mission also noted a few isolated incidents that
could have marred the smooth and peaceful conduct of the polls, including the
following:
i. Where voting closed well after 5:00
pm, the absence of back-up lighting obliged party agents to improvise with
cell-phones and flashlights to enable counting to proceed.
ii. The premeditated acts of
intimidation at certain polling stations, Around 5:15 pm on Election Day, a
Cabinet Minister, dressed in military fatigues, led a convoy of armed soldiers
to the densely populated precinct of Hill Station in Freetown. There, they were
confronted by the local youth, provoking chaos and panic. It took the arrival
of observers from ECOWAS and NEW, coupled with the intervention of the
Operational Support Division units for the convoy to beat a retreat.
iii. At Polling Center Code No. 14221
at Metropolitan Center, Wilkinson Road, an individual snatched a number of
unused ballot papers at Polling Station No. 5 and ran away. He was, however,
later apprehended by the police.
iv. At the ‘Under 5’ Government
Hospital Polling Center (Code 02013) in Kenema, ECOWAS observed the display of
party posters.
v. At the same Center, as well as in a
number of rural areas, the absence of standard polling booths and their poor
improvisation may have undermined the secrecy of the ballot.
vi. It is the view of the ECOWAS
Mission that these inadequacies observed do not diminish the transparency,
fairness or the credibility of the electoral process at this point in time.
vii. Further, the Mission would like to
draw attention to the mitigating circumstances with regard to the inadequacies
observed. First, the elections are the first to be organized solely by Sierra
Leoneans themselves since the end of the Civil War. Secondly, the novelty of
the biometric system, coupled with the conduct of multiple elections on the
same day, made certain shortcomings inevitable.
C. Preliminary Conclusions and
Recommendations
9. In light of the preceding
observations and analysis, the ECOWAS Observer Mission to the 2012 General
Elections wishes to make the following preliminary conclusions:
i. The preparation of the 2012
elections, the conduct of the electioneering campaign, as well as the processes
on Election Day up until the certification of the results of the four elections
by the responsible officials at the polling stations, were free, fair, and
credible. The vast majority of the qualified Sierra Leonean population, who
wished to do so, were provided the required freedom and space to exercise their
constitutional rights to vote or to be voted for.
ii. The ECOWAS Observer Mission will
continue to closely monitor the concluding phases of the electoral process, in
particular the transmission of the electoral results and supporting materials
to the National Tallying Center, as well as the processing and declaration of
provisional results, and will make further declarations where and when
appropriate.
iii. The ECOWAS Observer Mission warmly
congratulates the peace-loving people of Sierra Leone, particularly the
political leaders, their followers, and the electorate in general, for the
tenacity, determination, sense of moderation and patriotism demonstrated in
their quest for democracy and development. The Mission wishes to also commend
the National Electoral Commission, the security agencies and all the other
concerned stakeholders for their invaluable contribution to the success so far
achieved, and urges them to pursue the process to its logical conclusion with
the same determination and commitment.
iv. At this juncture, the ECOWAS
Mission would like to caution individuals and groups, in particular the
political parties, the media and civil society organizations, to refrain from
speculating on or declaring unofficial results until they are officially
declared. In this regard, the Mission urges the Electoral Commission to come
out with the provisional results as soon as possible.
v. The Mission calls on all candidates
and their supporters to continue to respect due process and the rule of law at
all times. Given the individual and collective responsibility for the success
of the process, the Mission urges all to resort only to legal means to seek
redress of any grievances emanating from the electoral process
vi. Regarding the need to further
strengthen the electoral process in Sierra Leone, the ECOWAS Observer Mission
wishes to recommend to the in-coming Government, the Electoral Commission, and
all other relevant stakeholders, to prioritize voter education and strengthen
the electoral infrastructure in the country. The Mission also wishes to urge
the in-coming Parliament to revisit the issue of nomination fees for
candidates, which nearly marred the preparatory phase of the 2012 Elections,
with a view to finding a consensual solution to the matter.
vii. ECOWAS wishes to congratulate the
people of Sierra Leone for their exemplary comportment up to this point.
Done at Freetown, this 17th Day of
November 2012
The Head of the ECOWAS Mission.
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Thursday November 22 2012
Commonwealth Observer Group Interim Statement on Sierra Leone
Elections
- Tuesday 20 November 2012.
Ugandan politician: Olara Otunnu, leader
Sierra Leone 2012 National and Local Council
Elections Interim Statement
Interim Statement by Mr Olara Otunnu,
Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group
In spite of the shortcomings noted here, our
overall conclusion is that the organisation and conduct of these elections has
met international standards and benchmarks for free and transparent multi-party
elections.
Following an invitation from the Government of
Sierra Leone, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, constituted an
Observer Group, which has been present in the country since 11 November. I am
honoured to have served as Chair of the Group. During our time here, we have
met the National Electoral Commission, representatives of political parties,
civil society, media, the police, the diplomatic community as well as other
national and international observers.
Commonwealth teams were based in Bo, Bombali, Kenema and Kono as well as in the
capital, Freetown. Our teams observed the voting, counting, and continue to
follow the tabulation. We also met with electoral officials, the security services,
observers and other stakeholders at District level.
The Group was tasked with observing the election
period, including the results process. We will issue a Final Report with
conclusions and recommendations at a later stage.
Our presence during these elections reaffirms
the Commonwealth’s long-standing engagement with Sierra Leone. The Commonwealth
Observer Group carried out its duties in accordance with the standards
expressed in the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observers
and the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers.
The 17 November 2012 elections in Sierra Leone
were the third conducted since 2002 and the first elections Sierra Leone has
organised itself. They were also the first time that four elections were
conducted simultaneously and a new Voters’ Register was introduced by the
National Electoral Commission, capturing biometric data. Key Findings
Polling Centres
In general, voting was peaceful and orderly. We
observed early and high turnout of voters, with a predominant presence of women
and youth. Some polling stations did not open on time due to late delivery of
election materials. Almost all these stations were however able to process
voters within the allotted time. In general, we observed that polling stations
closed on time with few voters remaining in the queue at 1700. However, at one
polling station, our observers witnessed the reopening of the station after the
initial closure at 1700. Inconsistencies in administrative arrangements, such
as whether to organise voters according to their identification serial numbers
or alphabetically, produced some initial confusion and delay. Although some
polling centres were crowded at the start of the day, in general, the layout of
the stations provided for a smooth processing of voters and secrecy of the
ballot was assured. Arrangements for those with special needs and disability
were not always implemented. In general, polling officials managed the stations
well and were conscientious and impartial. Where there was uncertainty, we
observed officials consulting guidelines or phoning the National Electoral
Commission.
Vehicle Restrictions
On Election Day, police imposed restrictions on
the movement of vehicles. There is consensus that this contributed to the peaceful
conduct of elections. Most voters walked to their polling stations. Buses
intended to transport voters were few and late. We are concerned that this
arrangement disadvantaged some sectors of the population, particularly the
elderly and those with disability.
Security
• Police were present at all polling stations
the Group visited. They carried out their work discreetly and supportively.
Voter Education
Voter education was inadequate and appears to
have been initiated late. Most voters seemed to have received the necessary
information from officials on Election Day at polling stations.
Counting and Tabulation
Counting was methodical, transparent, but slow.
The Group continues to observe the ongoing tabulation process.
The Campaign
Campaigning was free and robust. The Group
received allegations about the use of state resources for campaigning. We also
received reports that the campaign calendar was not fully respected. We
received reports that money and goods had been used to influence voters,
particularly the youth.
The Media
The Group observed that, with some notable
exceptions, most of Sierra Leone’s media was openly partisan. Our observers
noted that the Independent Radio Network provided impartial news and
information on the election.
Political Parties
Although nine parties participated in the
election, it is notable that the campaign, as well as provisional results, has
been dominated by the two established political parties, the All People’s
Congress and the Sierra Leone People’s Party. Emerging parties drew attention
to the issue of an unequal resource base.
Nomination Fees
The significant increase in nomination fees for
candidates was controversial. In spite of the short term subsidy, this remains
a concern.
Women and the Election
The number of women candidates was low and
gender disparity remains a concern. There were some disturbing incidents of
intimidation and violence against women at polling stations. The Women’s
Situation Room is an innovative monitoring exercise. Their operations centre in
Freetown allowed voters and observers to call in and log issues of concern.
Reports of these incidents were then immediately forwarded to the National
Electoral Commission and to the police. The Women’s Situation Room also brought
focus on gender issues.
National Observers
The Group was impressed by the fact that there
were many national observers from a diverse range of civil society
organisations, who were highly visible on Election Day. In particular, the role
played by the National Elections Watch was significant. Their Citizen Situation
Room provided accurate and regular updates, and is compiling a comprehensive
data base.
Conclusions
Our overall conclusion is that the organisation
and conduct of these elections has met international standards and benchmarks
for free and transparent multi-party elections. In spite of some of the
shortcomings noted in this statement, it is our considered view that the
magnitude of these shortcomings has not materially affected the integrity of
the process to date. We urge all concerned to ensure that the transparent and
peaceful character of the electoral process witnessed thus far will continue to
inform the remainder of this exercise. We appeal to all the people of Sierra
Leone to observe the highest level of responsibility and restraint until the
end of the process and the official announcement of results. The Commonwealth
Observer Group sees this as an opportunity to further consolidate democratic
gains, to strengthen the peace which has been achieved and to continue on the
path of social and economic recovery in Sierra Leone. We congratulate the
people of Sierra Leone for ensuring peaceful and transparent elections so far.
This is a remarkable achievement. We hope this spirit and conduct will continue
until the end of the process.
Freetown, 19 November 2012
Photo: Ugandan politician Olara Otunnu, leader
of the Commonwealth Observer Group to Sierra Leone.
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Thursday November 22 2012
Sierra Leone Elections Update: Citizens Upset Over Bio
Threats
Wednesday 21 November 2012.
By Alpha Rashid Jalloh, PV Freetown Bureau
Chief.
Angry reactions from many people in every part of the country and the capital
Freetown are what
presently characterize the mood of the nation after the November 17 polls.
The anger emanates out of Julius Maada Bio
(photo), leader of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party’s (SLPP) expression of
defiance starting from polling day to post-elections period of the results that
he described as unacceptable.
Many
people say the fact that the elections had not even been conducted
when he made the threats while issuing public
condemnation of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) long before the
elections ,makes his stance after the polling probably part of a secret agenda.
True or false, some citizens say when Julius Maada Bio said he
would “leave no stone unturned” to pursue his case over alleged over voting, it
implies that he would go to extremes. This has evoked anger, frustration and
fear in the country which had experienced an almost eleven year’s war in which
the people were subjected to horrendous experiences. Criminal trials took place in the
post-war era that saw members of the then ruling SLPP like Hinga Norman being
arrested, tried and convicted. There were also speculations at the time that
the then president Ahmad Tejan Kabba would be arrested but it never happened.
Julius
Maada Bio overthrew his boss Captain Valentine Strasser in 1996 and attempted
to carry out a Peace Before Election Campaign which failed because the populace
resisted it through massive demonstrations.
His utterances over
the radio after the announcement of the results in which SLPP was alleged to
have over voted evoked an organic solidarity amongst the different party
leaders who decided to let sleeping dogs lie and bury the hatchet. It happened
that five boxes were caught stuffed with ballots at the Bo Government Secondary
School and were brought to Freetown which caused the leader of the United
National Peoples Party John Karefa Smart who went into Run Off with Ahmad Tejan
Kabba, to drop a court suit he had intended to file.
This
time round, Bio’s his utterances have again established a mental link between
the citizens who now express fear and anger on the likelihood of mischief to
erupt in the post- election period. But elites in the country say
with the presence of the International Criminal Court observers in the country,
any attempt to cause the country to slide back into chaos, would make whoever
is found to be behind the cause of such scenario would be a potential candidate
for the International Criminal Court.
Bio and the SLPP have several allegations that
they are now insistently making. Firstly, they allege that in some polling
stations their supporters were intimidated, to which APC says they should
channel complaints to the appropriate authorities for investigations. Secondly
SLPP alleges that some polling stations over voted especially in Makeni Ernest Koroma’s
home town, to which APC points out that it was SLPP agents that were arrested
by the police in polling stations with voter registers, so, if any anomaly
erupts even if it affects APC, the presumption is that it might have been
mischievously caused by those arrested and they should be in a position to
explain the anomalies in those polling stations.
In a
related incident, one teacher of Family Homes Movement Secondary School at
Calabatown who was employed as a Polling Assistant was caught inking voted
slips so as to make them void.
Some people erroneously misconstrue results
announced by IRN especially those that totalled up to ten thousand which could
be a total of polling stations or polling centers in a ward. Many people, even journalists, still
could not diffrentiate polling stations from polling centers. (Several polling stations make
one polling center). IRN usually announce combined stations without
enlightening the people as to whether they are polling stations or centers. But
pertaining to the allegations, NEC says they will investigate them.
Foreign
observers have described the elections as free and fear and free from fear but
have also (according to Independent Radio Network—IRN) decided to take into
consideration Maada Bio’s allegations and to investigate them.
Partial results
announced by local radio stations so far have indicated that Bio has lost
woefully
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Maada Bio in deep discussion with Foday Sankoh- in Trouble Times
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UPDATE ON ELECTION RESULTS TALLYING AT REGIONAL TALLY CENTERS. |
UPDATE ON ELECTION
RESULTS TALLYING AT REGIONAL TALLY CENTERS.
Posted November 21, 2012 by shammer
PRESS
RELEASE BY CEC / CHAIRPERSON ON UPDATE OF ELECTION RESULTS TALLYING AT REGIONAL
TALLY CENTERS
TUESDAY 21ST, NOVEMBER, 2012 UPDATE ON ELECTION RESULTS
TALLYING AT REGIONAL TALLY CENTERS.
A. Response To Concerns From PMDC and SLPP The Commission
received concerns from both the Peoples Movement of Democratic Change (PMDC)
and the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) pertaining to the conduct of
elections and performance of NEC staff and other security personnel on polling
day.
The Commission will like to point out the following: Missing
Final Voter Register in several polling stations in Bombali and Koinadugu
Bombali -We are aware that voter register for one centre was misplaced but was
later found in another centre within the same ward. Koinadugu – the election
procedure allows for the generation of the register based on the presentation
of a voter ID where the original register was not available on polling day.
This was what occurred in Koinadugu and in any other area where it was found
necessary to do so.
Interference by certain NEC officials in voters’ choice selection We would
like the political parties to provide any evidence in their possession to the
police.
Ballot Stuffing and Intimidation etc. NEC has not announced the
results of any individual constituency or centre therein. We can therefore not
comment on the allegations regarding this issue. We have no reports of NEC
official being put under gun point. Any evidence of this should be provided to
the police. NEC cannot comment on the supply of electricity to polling station
save to say that polling kits include alternative source of light. Kassel Farm
– We will ask that more specific information be given to the police.
St Edwards Secondary School – we have received no report of any NEC
official being arrested for any such incident. Further NEC cannot comment on
whether there was a curfew in the area as it is outside its mandate.
Refusal by NEC Officials to give out party Agents RRFs
There was a shortage of original RRFs in some parts of the country which
affected all parties. However NEC officials used observer copies which were
posted outside the centers.
Evidence of Unsigned or unstamped RRFs
In relation to this issue NEC observed this lapse and where it occurred
investigations have been carried out to verify the results. It is important to
understand that all who voted must have their votes counted and no one should
feel disenfranchised.
NEC Officials directing voters to vote Ernest Koroma
In response to this matter, we advise that this information be given to the
police.
RRFs not signed
Any information relating to RRF not signed should be referred to the police and
please keep NEC informed. NEC is surprised to learn that party agents could
sign blank RRFs thereby colluding in wrong doing.
People without Voter IDs and not on the voter register allowed to vote
This is a matter for the police and they should be provided with the necessary
evidence.
64 Ballot boxes quarantined
We do not have a system wherein ballot boxes are quarantined. Generally
tampered envelopes are quarantined pending investigations. We request that any
evidence of irregularity at Buxton School and elsewhere be reported to the
police.
UPDATE ON ELECTION RESULTS TALLYING AT REGIONAL TALLY CENTERS
The Commission hereby wishes to inform the general public that 99% of all
polling stations results have now being received at the Regional Tally Centers
in Kenema, Makeni, Bo and Freetown. Out of the 9,493 polling stations, 90% of
(8,544) polling station results have been processed. The Remaining 10% of
polling station results have been quarantined and may require opening of
affected ballot boxes and recount of the ballot papers. The Commission strongly
condemns the use of copies of the Final Voters Register (FVR) by political
party agents on polling day to undertake parallel voter verification. The
Commission distributed the FVR to the political parties for their internal use
and not to undertake any parallel identification or verification of voters,
thereby obstructing the electoral process and infringing of the privacy of
voters.
All vehicles with stickers marked NEC operations used on polling day
with the exception of security vehicles should now be removed with immediate effect
Signed: Dr. Christiana
Thorpe Chief Electoral Commissioner/Chairperson National Returning
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Stakeholders Give Pass Mark To Elections :
Maada Bio Should Give Democracy A Chance!
Virtually all major stakeholders of the electioneering process in Sierra
Leone have come to the conclusion that the November 17 elections were generally
free, fair, and peaceful, and that isolated reports of irregularities would not
be able to affect the overall outcome. International observers including those
from the EU, the AU, ECOWAS, the Commonwealth, and the Carter Centre have all
acknowledged the unprecedented smooth-running of the process. No less a person
than the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has come out with a statement to hail
the peaceful conduct of the elections.
However, even as official results are yet to be announced, the
opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) has already made several
statements tantamount to undermining the credibility of the process. The
party’s flag-bearer, Julius Maada Bio, came out with a statement Sunday threatening not to accept
the results due to so-called “blatant blatant stuffing…with full complicity of
NEC staff…”, stating that he will “ensure that no one, I repeat no one steals
the mandate of our votes or alter the results to our disadvantage.”
The Secretary General of the party Sulaiman Banja Tejan Sie and a
so-called Bio spokesman Kalilu Totangi have all come out openly making
statements that are not helpful to the ethical protection of the process.
Notwithstanding, with
provisional results continually coming in from around the country through Star
Radio and the Independent Radio Network (IRN), the general trend is a
continuous overall lead by both President Ernest Bai Koroma and his ruling All
Peoples Congress (APC) over their main challengers in the SLPP. These
provisional reports so far indicate that the APC would have more than 70 seats
in Parliament and the President could get up to 60%
of the national votes cast. Around the country and even abroad,
APC supporters are having mooted parties and celebrations, with some chanting
their party’s anthem,
‘There is
victory for us… In the struggles of APC, there’s victory for us…’
At a press conference yesterday at their party headquarters, APC
Secretary General Victor Bockarie Foh stopped short of giving supporters the
go-ahead to celebrate, while insisting they were waiting for the final results
to be read out by the NEC Chairperson Christiana Thorpe. He however re-echoed
an earlier statement made on TV by Information Minister Ibrahim Ben Kargbo that
‘you cannot stop people from celebrating in their compounds’.
Meanwhile, international
observers have challenged Maada Bio to provide evidence of allegations he made
about ballot-stuffing.
“I think the gentlemanly thing for Maada Bio to do is to either wait for
the results; or, as he says he has a mechanism of
knowing all the results, he can go ahead and congratulate President
Koroma, instead of decrying a process that has been given a clean bill of health even by the
Chairperson of the National Electoral Commission in addition to both local and
international observers,” Deputy Information Minister Sheka Tarawalie
said in Makeni.
The announcement of the results by NEC is not expected to be very
different from the current provisional ones. NEC Chairperson Christiana Thorpe was on a
blitzkrieg helicopter tour of the provincial headquarters of Bo, Kenema and
Makeni yesterday, urging her collation
staff to continue to do the good work and faster, as the people are anxiously
waiting for the announcement of the results.
It is expected the results would be read out any time between now and
Saturday.
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MAADA BIO - TO MSKE THE INEVITABLE APOLOGY AFTER NEC PRONOUNCEMENT SOON
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IT IS TIME FOR THE ELDERS OF THE SLPP TO ADVISE MAADA BIO AND HIS BACKERS TO ACCEPT DEFEAT AND ALLOW SIERRA LEONE TO MOVE ON TO PROSPERITY. iT IS TIME FOR THEM TO BEGIN TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY WILL DO TO WARDS THE 2017 ELECTIONS. IF THEY SHOULD CHOSE ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WHO LACKS CREDIBILITY, THEN THEY WILL BE LOOKING TO THE 2022 ELECTIONS INSTEAD. IT'S ALL OVER! IF THEY HAVE ANY COMPLAINTS, GO NA POLICE!!
First of all, let me take this opportunity to congratulate my fellow countrimen and women for voting so wisely and re electing the President, Ernest Bai Koroma forr another 5 years. I feel very confident that the President and the Party will continue to do the very good job he has been doing for the last five years and the prosperity that emanates from his managerial style. This election has exposed Sierra Leone further to the World at large and the people have demonstrated/ spoken with a very loud voice that they will no longer be fooled by bigots whose interest is only to make money for themselves to the detriment of all others. I wish to thank the people of the East and South of Sierra Leone who have shown the SIERRA LEONE PEOPLES PARTY (SLPP) that they will no longer be dominated by the artificial myth created by disgruntled leaders and make them believe the the SLPP is a Mende-man Party. This is far from the truth. At it's inception, SLPP had members from all parts of Sierra Leone, even in Kionadugu- which was a very stronghold in Nothern Sierra Leone. The Original PEOPLES PARTY was started by a CREOLE MAN from up the Hills in Charlotte and with the mergers of the Protectorate Assembly and others, this coalition of the so called Sierra Leone Peoples Party emerged- Thanks to former Governor George Beresford Stoke.
