Kwegor Amara, A senior member of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and retired Major, has called on President Julius Maada Bio to withdraw the appointment of Edmond Sylvester Alpha as Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), suggesting instead that he be reassigned to an ambassadorial role.

According to Voice of Salone Newspaper, Amara, who once served as a close aide to President Bio during the NPRC era, described the appointment as a “serious misstep” that could undermine public confidence in Sierra Leone’s electoral process.

He warned that placing Alpha at the helm of the ECSL could provide the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) with grounds to question the credibility of future elections, regardless of how transparent they may be.

Amara further claimed that the decision has not garnered broad support within the ruling SLPP, cautioning that it could have lasting political consequences for the party beyond President Bio’s tenure.

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According to him, a more inclusive and consultative selection process-one that involves both the SLPP and APC nominating candidates-would have strengthened public trust in the electoral body and prevented the current controversy.

In his appeal, Amara also called on First Lady Fatima Maada Bio to advise the President to reconsider the decision.

“Your Excellency, you are human and liable to make mistakes, and this appointment is one of them,” Amara stated, urging President Bio to reverse the move in the interest of national unity, peace, and democratic stability.