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In a strongly worded letter dated November 25, 2024, the purported chairman of Sierra Leone’s All People’s Congress (APC) party has urged U.S. Ambassador Bryan David Hunt to advocate for the release of detailed results from the contentious June 24, 2023, elections.
The chairman’s appeal comes amid on-going disputes over electoral transparency and claims of judicial interference in Sierra Leone’s political processes.
The letter acknowledges U.S. contributions to Sierra Leone’s democratic and economic development, including $1.5 million in support of election-related efforts and a $480 million Millennium Challenge Corporation grant to modernize the country’s energy sector. Despite this support, the APC leader expressed dismay over alleged irregularities in the electoral process and the judiciary’s role in undermining the party’s internal and external legitimacy.
Central to the chairman’s appeal is the claim that Sierra Leone’s Electoral Commission (ECSL) has failed to publish detailed results from the 2023 elections, raising suspicions about the integrity of the announced outcome. According to the letter, the APC and its supporters believe the lack of transparency undermines public confidence in Sierra Leone’s democratic institutions.
The chairman highlighted that prior elections allowed political party representatives to monitor the vote-tallying process. However, the 2023 election was allegedly marred by opacity, with results announced without verification from party agents.
The letter also criticized the Sierra Leonean judiciary for what the chairman described as “unconventional legal procedures.” Specifically, he pointed to a case where a court ruling nullified a previous High Court judgment in favor of the APC, calling it a dangerous precedent that erodes trust in the rule of law.
Furthermore, the chairman accused the government of weaponizing the judiciary to suppress opposition voices, referencing prolonged commissions of inquiry, arbitrary corruption cases, and inconsistent judicial rulings that have disproportionately targeted APC members.
The APC chairman called on Ambassador Hunt to publicly advocate for the release of detailed polling station results as a necessary step toward restoring trust in Sierra Leone’s electoral process. The letter referenced Ambassador Hunt’s previous remarks on Radio Democracy FM 98.1, where the diplomat expressed concerns over the ECSL’s failure to release election results.
The chairman also dismissed the Tripartite Committee’s efforts to address electoral grievances, arguing that its 80 recommendations were forward-looking rather than addressing the alleged flaws of the 2023 elections. “How can we prepare remedies for killer diseases without knowing how past victims were killed?” the letter asked rhetorically.
The letter reflects growing tensions in Sierra Leone’s political landscape, with opposition leaders and supporters questioning the legitimacy of President Julius Maada Bio’s re-election. The APC chairman’s direct appeal to the U.S. Ambassador underscores the party’s strategy to internationalize its grievances and seek external pressure on the government to ensure transparency.
As the dispute over the 2023 election results persists, calls for transparency and accountability are expected to intensify, potentially heightening political instability in the West African nation.
2028 next
Alfred Peter Conteh, if you are a True APC party member you should support Dr. Samura Kamara who has been asking for and Continues to ask for Electoral Justice.
I. Know that your ideas are similar to those of Dr Samura Kamara who has demonstrated his love his country and his people. Indeed, the current APC executive members have shown that they are not interested in the development of the country and the welfare of the people of Sierra Leone. They are rether interested in themselves. The Almighty Allah will surely punish them and their generations yet unborn. They are all Greedy, Shameless and Heartless politicians. How can you win an Election and say. ” we are going to forget about it, give it up and plan for Future elections…”. I am sure any Sane person would know that something has gone wrong. The current executive members think that all APC members and supporters are STUPID and cannot think. We the members of this Great APC will TEACH them a Lesson. We shall pray to God for them so that The Almighty God will punish them for decieving the people of Sierra Leone. We are sure that Ma’ada Bio has paid them but God will surely fight for us.
These Rough APC executive members are accusing Dr. Samura Kamara of selling out to Ma’ada Bio. But Dr. Samura Kamara is still fighting against the Rigged and Fraudulent 2023 elections in Sierra Leone. The sellout executive members are supporting Ma’ada Bio to continue his illegal regime till 2028.
What a SHAME! This is not a true political plan.
The ECOWAS Authorities are wasting our time. They have been instructed by
the UN Security council to come and Restore and Reinstate Democracy in Sierra Leone.
Ma’ada Bio, Ernest Bai Koroma and the APC executive members are Bribing the ECOWAS to delay their deployment in Sierra Leone. The Almighty Allah will take care of all the Enemies of True democracy in Sierra Leone.