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The National Election Watch (NEW) has revealed the methodology used to arrive at a different conclusion than the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) in the just concluded presidential election.
The local election observer body said they deployed 6,000 across the country covering every polling centre.
“Of these observers, 720 were specifically trained and deployed to a statistically representative sample of polling stations across all the 5 regions and 16 districts in Sierra Leone using PRVT methodology,” NEW said.
They said their observers were deployed randomly at the “statistically representative” sample polling stations.
NEW added that their observers were present at the said stations for the entire election day where they transmitted data they gathered as documented on the Results Reconciliation Forms (RRFs).
“Because observers are deployed to a statistically representative sample of polling stations, the PRVT provides independent and impartial projections of the official results,” NEW said.
They added that the same method was applied in 2018 and found out that their projections were in tandem with final results released by then National Electoral Commission (NEC).
“When the official results are inconsistent with the PRVT projections, as is the case for the 2023 presidential election, then it provides evidence the result do not reflect the votes cast polling stations,” they said.
The election observation body also provided divergent voter turnout figures. NEW said voter turnout should have been between 77 and 79 percent while the ECSL reported that voter turnout for presidential election is 84 percent – approximately 5 times higher than NEW’s projection.
They also refused to accept the ECSL’s 0.4 percent report of total invalid votes casted. NEW said total invalid votes should have been at least 4.7 percent of total votes casted.
Some supporters of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) criticised NEW’s report equating it to a recipe for chaos. Conversely, supporters of the main opposition said the report is a manifestation of their fear before the polls.
Anyway there’s nothing you people can tell us, because all these findings were with you while ECSL said it clearly that if any individual (s) or political party (s) is/are not certify with the election result should seek the legal action. Until now you people cannot do anything in relation, but asking ECSL to bring out its evidence, while didn’t you filed any legal case against the institution till the time is over due.
This is a clear manifestation that you have no evidence against ECSL, trust me.
Doya una nek we yeri far oo
How can APC OR NEW TAKE THEM TO COURT WHEN THE LAW MAKERS ANSWERABLE TO THERE MASTER
Me nor believe dis system. Even America and elsewhere. Dem statistics, has always been proven wrong. That’s dishonesty. Why should ECSL inflate anything. When everyone I mean the returning officials, polling agents etc.
U send person, for sidom na corner, say e go get anything correct?
That lady allowed, those roughs, to use her, to create chaos in the system.
The elections have been conducted and the winners have been declared but ‘NEW’ is trying to ignite problem for the country.