Sylvanus Fornah Koroma Esq, a prominent Sierra Leonean lawyer, has formally requested the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Konneh, to publish and gazette the detailed results of the June 2023 multi-tier elections. In a letter addressed to the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), Koroma emphasized the importance of releasing these results, as received by the Returning Officers, to maintain transparency and uphold legal obligations.
Koroma’s letter highlighted that the results, certified by District Returning Officers to Regional Returning Officers and subsequently to the National Returning Officer, should have formed the basis for the announcement of the presidential and parliamentary election results on June 27, 2023. He cited the Public Elections Act of 2022 (PEA 2022), which mandates the immediate publication and gazetting of election results following the presidential declaration, as per Sections 52(b) and 93(a) of the Act.
Further, Koroma pointed out that Section 93(b) requires the publication of parliamentary election results by Government Notice, crucial for guiding petitioners whose actions are time-sensitive under Section 54(1) of the Act. The delay in publishing these results, Koroma argued, poses a risk of unrest, as demonstrated by the necessity of the National Unity Agreement signed on October 18, 2023, and the subsequent Tripartite Committee report presented to the Head of State on July 1, 2024.
Despite formal requests from the All Peoples Congress members of the Tripartite Committee, the ECSL has not yet complied with the publication and gazetting of the results received from Returning Officers across the country. Koroma stressed that while Section 32(11) of the 1991 Constitution grants the Electoral Commission immunity from external direction or control, this does not exempt the Commission from its statutory duties.
Koroma’s letter also referenced a quotation from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Sierra Leone, underscoring the historical consequences of governance failures and the importance of transparency to prevent violence. Additionally, he mentioned comments by the current Minister of Information, Mr. Chernor Bah, regarding perceptions of electoral malpractice and their potential to incite unrest.
Koroma concluded his letter by urging the ECSL to fulfill its statutory obligation to publish and gazette the June 2023 multi-tier election results, thereby avoiding the need for challenging the Commission’s reliance on constitutional immunity. He warned that any perception of election malpractice could lead to significant unrest in the country.
