CHRDI Disqualifies APC Flagbearer Poll After Detecting Voting Irregularities
Aaron Parker The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) has disqualified its November 9, 2026, poll on the All People’s Congress (APC) flagbearer race after detecting irregular voting activities and what it described as attempts to compromise the process.
In an official statement, the organisation said the decision followed further investigations into the voting process, during which it discovered a surge of votes from the voting slot assigned to Chernor Bah. It said similar patterns were also observed in the slots of other candidates.
CHRDI explained that it initially trusted the platform because it was used by major media organisations and institutions, including TED, CNN and Sky Sports. The organisation added that its IT and cybersecurity expert had also advised that the platform was safe and capable of producing a credible outcome.
However, subsequent checks reportedly revealed attempts by some individuals to gain access to the system and interfere with the voting process. CHRDI said it detected the use of the voting tool from outside Sierra Leone but could not establish any link between the activity and the campaign teams of candidates listed on the platform.
The organisation also acknowledged that WhatsApp polls cannot independently verify voters’ identities or prevent bulk voting, raising concerns about the reliability of the results.
Following these findings, CHRDI declared the APC flagbearer poll disqualified, stating that the decision was intended to protect the credibility of the process rather than favour any candidate.
The organisation also accepted responsibility for placing its trust in the platform and announced that it would conduct an audit of the SLPP voting process to ensure fairness and transparency.
CHRDI said it was consulting on ways to strengthen the process and prevent external interference, adding that a new, more inclusive platform with a wider reach would be announced soon.
The organisation thanked all the candidates and their supporters who participated in the poll.