FREETOWN – As polling closed in Sierra Leone, the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) raised concerns about vote rigging and ballot stuffing in some areas of the country.
According to Liberian journalist Lyndon Ponnie, who is covering the elections in Freetown, Dr. Samura Kamara, the All People Congrrsss’ candidate, reported that some of his poll watchers were removed from certain polling centers in Pujahun, Mayanbah, and other locations.
He claimed his supporters were stopped in two districts from voting and that ruling party supporters stuffed ballots and tried to rig the election process. Dr. Samura Kamara’s allegations have not been verified.
On the overall, the process all over the country went on with no major crisis. However, there were some reports of isolated incidents of violence at some centers, when some voters who went to vote could not see their names on the voters’ rolls. Others were angered by the late arrival of polling materials in a few polling centers.
Two familiar candidates are competing to lead this country of 8.4 million people. The incumbent, President Julius Maada Bio, is seeking re-election and has promised to prioritize improving access to public education and boosting agricultural production.
Samura Kamara, the runner-up in the last presidential election of 2018, is the other candidate for the nation’s top role. This is actually a replay of the 2018 polls.
Polling closed at 5 pm and those who were already in the queue at 5 pm mark will be allowed to vote. But no other voter will be allowed. Full report on the elections is expected within forty-eight hours.
