The Electoral Commissioners of Sierra Leone have defended the 3% discrepancy between the National Election Watch (NEW) tally and the official results of the 2023 elections.
In a recent press briefing at their headquarters in Freetown, Commissioner Abubakarr Koroma, representing the North, provided an explanation for the variance in the electoral process results.
During
the question-and-answer session on Monday, Koroma detailed that the Commission
employed 11,832 polling station staff across the country, while NEW deployed
700 polling staff. He emphasized that the estimated marginal difference between
the two sets of results was only 6%.
“NEW gives an upper limit of 53.1% to the ruling SLPP party and 49.1% to the APC party,” Koroma stated. He further explained that during the 2023 elections, there were several challenges associated with the Proportional Representation Voting System (PRVT), not only in Sierra Leone but globally.
He pointed out
that while NEW covered 700 polling stations, ECSL covered 11,832 polling
stations. NEW reported 53.1% for the SLPP, whereas ECSL reported 56.1%,
considering the entirety of the process.
Koroma
asserted that the marginal difference was only 3%. “In my view, it would not
have been a significant issue for them, because it is just a 3% difference. We
did more, but PRVT posed serious challenges, not only in Sierra Leone but
worldwide,” he added.
The
Commissioners acknowledged that electoral challenges related to PRVT are
commonly reported globally. “I’m not saying it is the same in Sierra Leone, but
it happens,” Koroma remarked. He argued that not every observer is independent
and that some might face challenges regarding the accuracy of results during
elections.
Koroma
disclosed that the 2023 election data does not include the votes of security
forces who only vote for the presidential candidate. He cited Kenya and Malawi
as examples of African countries where election results were released but later
overturned by the Supreme Court.
Ranking
both parties, Koroma noted that a sample may not be nationally representative.
Another Commissioner stated during the conference that while ECSL has the
disaggregated data, those aggrieved should seek redress in the Supreme Court if
the law does not permit other actions.
ECSL Commissioners have defended the 3% discrepancy between the National Election Watch (NEW) tally and the official results of the 2023 elections.
Commissioner Abubakarr Koroma highlighted the extensive deployment of ECSL staff compared to NEW's staff, noting that the marginal difference was only 6%. He emphasized the challenges posed by the Proportional Representation Voting System (PRVT) and pointed out that similar issues are reported globally. \
The Commissioners urged those aggrieved by the results to seek redress in the Supreme Court, reiterating that the 3% variance should not be considered a
significant issue given the broader context of the electoral process.