The Parliamentary Candidate for the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) in the Saturday 25th June, 2022 bye-election in Constituency O56 in the Tonkolili District, Foyoh Tholley, has called the attention of the District Elections Manager for urgent attention to some alleged  “grave malpractice on the side of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Party which shows a significant effect and potential to alter the final results of the
elections.”

Foyoh Tholley has therefore requested that certain incidents during the bye-election be carefully considered and reviewed in the interest of a free, fair and credible election as well as the credibility of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL). Amongst other incidents, the SLPP parliamentary candidate alleged that all votes in Kalanthuba chiefdom be recounted as most of the RRF were not duly signed by SLPP representatives and the forms were therefore not received by our Polling Agents adding In Kathomba centre, several complaints were made about suspected ballot stuffing and this happened in several centers in that ward.”

Foyoh Tholley further alleged that thee “void votes” be reviewed as many Polling Agents in Kalanthuba complained of some Centre Managers voiding SLPP votes.

He added that in Konkorobaya village, one Marie Bangura and several others were caught after voting for the second time and multiple times. The SLPP candidate also alleged that “in Dandaya village, we raised several concerns of our party agents being denied entrance into Polling Centre whilst the APC agents were given unfettered access to do whatever they wanted.” Noting that “in Dankawalia and several Centers, Hon. Hassan Priest and Kelefala Marrah were at the polling center campaigning and sharing money.

This was against the electoral code of conduct as signed by ECSL Foyoh Tholley reminded the District Elections Manager of Tonkolili that the by-election was “keenly contested in which every factor counts and I look forward to seeing the prompt action of the Commission prior to our participation in the tally process.”

Meanwhile, ECSL on Sunday 26th June, 2022 released the provisional results for the Constituency 056 parliamentary bye-election. The APC parliamentary candidate, Jawah Sesay won with 5,487 votes (56.7%) while the SLPP parliamentary candidate scored 4.188 (43.3%) respectively. As at press time, it was not known whether or not the SLPP parliamentary candidate would petition the bye-election results in court as had been the case in previous election malpractices, when ten APC parliamentarians were legally denied seats in Parliament allowing the 2018 parliamentary elections.