Vote Counting begins  after Sierra Leone's  Crucial Presidential Race 

Sun, Apr 1, 2018
By publisher
2 MIN READ

Africa

 

BALLOT counting began after official close of voting at 5 pm (GMT) in Sierra Leone’s rescheduled presidential run-off vote on Saturday, March 31.

Prof Amos Sawyer, head of ECOWAS Observation Mission and his team watched the counting process at Freetown’s Aberdeen polling Centre, where they had witnessed the commencement of voting at 7 am.

Agents of the two rival political parties and security personnel also witnessed the process.

Counting and tallying in the 16 Administrative Districts with 3,300 polling centres and 11,122 polling stations nationwide, will be followed with tallying at the Regional Centres and then moved to the National Office for the announcement of the final results.

The ruling APC has Samura Kamara as its candidate, running against the main opposition SLPP’s rtd Brig. Julius Maada Bio in this second election. Both emerged front runners from the inconclusive March 7, first round that had 16 candidates.

The run-off was originally scheduled for March 27, but had to be post-poned due to a petition filed by a private lawyer, which resulted in an interim injunction by a High Court. The vacation of the Court order and the preventive diplomacy initiate by heads of international observation missions helped to douse the political tension and paved the way for Saturday’s run-off, which was generally peaceful.

– Apr. 1, 2018 @ 2:41 GMT /

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