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.