The National Electoral Commission has issued a press release stating that due to security concerns in Koinadugu District, it has therefore moved the final tallying process to Freetown.
Recall that tallying of final results of the just-concluded Koinadugu District Council chairperson bye-election held in Kabala on Saturday, was discontinued after reported tensions between members of the two political parties contesting for the post.
Immediately after voting ended Saturday, National Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone, issued a statement that tallying of results would be done at the Kabala Community Center the next day – Sunday, Oct. 3.
This, NEC said, was to ensure a transparent process. And the two contesting parties, and relevant stakeholders all agreed.
NEC had said in their Saturday’s press statement that final results to declare a winner – between Lawrence Teteh Kargbo of main opposition All People’s Congress, and Alhaji Sheku Koroma of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party – would be announced Monday, at their headquarters in Freetown.
But that expected announcement appears to be seriously threatened because of Sunday’s vote tallying debacle.
A senior NEC official confirmed to TV-News24 late Sunday that tallying of the results was cancelled – due to tensions between members of APC and SLPP.
Therefore, Sullaiman Jalloh, NEC’s Koinadugu district assistant electoral manager, said the entire tallying process was indefinitely suspended.
In a statement on Monday, the tallying has now been moved to Tuesday at the NEC headquarters in Freetown.
More details later..