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In a press conference held at the Radisson Blu Hotel today, the Commonwealth Observer Group, chaired by former Vice President of Nigeria Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, reaffirmed its purpose and stance ahead of the forthcoming election in Sierra Leone, scheduled for June 24th, 2023.
Prof. Osinbajo emphasized that the group’s role is strictly observational and non-executive. Its primary function is to monitor and assess the overall electoral process, offering recommendations based on their findings.
The Commonwealth Observer Group aims to observe the pre-election environment, polling day activities, and the post-election period, while assessing the conditions for credible elections.
During their observation, the group will evaluate factors such as the fairness of the electoral environment, the impartiality of public media, the transparency of the entire process, the freedom of voters to express their will, and the transparency of the vote counting and results process.
The group’s assessment will consider Sierra Leone’s commitments under national law, as well as regional and international obligations.
Prof. Osinbajo stressed that their presence in Sierra Leone is not solely due to regional or continental ties but rather rooted in the shared values of the Commonwealth. These values encompass peace, democracy, the rule of law, and good governance, which bind all Commonwealth countries together.
Comprising 12 members with diverse expertise in law, politics, election administration, human rights, media, and civil society, the observer group was invited by Sierra Leone’s Electoral Commission to oversee the electoral process. Supported by a team from the Commonwealth Secretariat, headed by Linford Andrews, the group will deploy its observers in small teams across the country, beginning on June 22nd, 2023, to closely monitor the voting, counting, and results processes.
Having observed every election in Sierra Leone since the end of the civil war in 2002, including the General Elections of 1996, the Commonwealth reaffirms its commitment to neutrality, impartiality, objectivity, and independence in carrying out its duties. The group aims to meet with various stakeholders in the coming days, including government representatives, political parties, security agencies, civil society groups, citizen and international observer groups, diplomats, and the media.
On Election Day, the Commonwealth Observer Group will actively observe the opening, voting, closing, counting, and results management processes. Preliminary findings will be presented in an interim statement on June 26th before the group concludes its mission and departs on June 30th.
A final report will be prepared and submitted to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, subsequently shared with relevant stakeholders and made publicly available.
With the eyes of over 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens, a majority of whom are young people under the age of 30, set on Sierra Leone, the Commonwealth Observer Group urges the country to uphold peace, justice, and national unity.
The group emphasizes that violence, division, and hatred have no place in shaping Sierra Leone’s peaceful and prosperous future.
Citing Nelson Mandela, Prof. Osinbajo reminded the people of Sierra Leone that their diversity should not divide them, as unity lies in cherishing democracy.
He encouraged all political parties and their supporters to honor the commitments of the Electoral Pledge, signed just two weeks ago, which seeks to ensure free, fair, and violence-free elections.
As Sierra Leone prepares to exercise its democratic rights with 3.3 million registered voters, the Commonwealth Observer Group extends well wishes to the nation, expressing hope for a peaceful election process and reminding all citizens of their crucial role in shaping the country’s future.
If the Commonwealth observers come only to observe and to write report on what they see, then the people of Sierra Leone are at the mercy of the PAOPA rebel president Maada Bio.
Maada Bio is not a democratic president, Maada Bio has told his rebel brothers to violently beat, wound ,burn opposition houses and even kill members of the opposition, especially APC supporters in the South -Eastern part of the country.
A few weeks ago, Maada Bio ordered the burning of an APC supporter’s house in Kono Today, the APC party office in Bo City is burnt down,
Maada Bio has never made a statement condemning all these atrocities caused by his supporters.
In August ten demonstration, Rebel Bio ordered his rebel police and rebel solders to kill more than fifty defenceless protesters all over the country.
Maada Bio ordered his State House body guards to kill over three hundred defenceless prisoners at Pademba road prison.
Maada Bio kills innocent people without remose, do you think he cannot Rig elections?
The people of Sierra Leone expect the International community observing the elections to Advise and warn Maada Bio to stop promoting violence in this election
Maada Bio keeps threatening people and hss the support of the police, military, the judiciary, Civil Society Organization, (CSO), the Media and the Inter Religious Council etc. Maada Bio pays them to keep quiet while he suppress the poor people of SIERRA LEONE.
We don’t need Maada Bio as our president anymore, he doesn’t believe in democracy at all, he has no good intentions for this country, he doesn’t have any good heart for humanity