Credible sources have intimated to this medium that Sierra Leone may face tight economic sanctions by the European Union (EU), United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) for the actions of the Chief Electoral Commissioner (CEC) of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL), Mohamed Kenewui Konneh for not complying with their orders to publish the disaggregated results at polling station level to ensure transparency, accountability and for public scrutiny.

According to these sources, these world governing bodies will place travelling ban and freeze the accounts of officials of the government if only the CEC of ECSL failed to make public the real results of the just concluded 24th June, 2023 three-tier elections, adding that it will lead to prohibition of importation and exportation of goods.

Sources continued that the US, EU and UK will directly and indirectly investigate the accounts of ministers as well as other top officials of the Sierra Leone People’s party (SLPP) and will lead to seizure and forfeiture of assets.

Jointly, the US, UK and EU have called on the ECSL Boss to do what is right in the interest of peace and democratic best practice believing that the presidential result was allegedly rigged in favour of the ruling government which they believe is not a reflection of the voters.

According to the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) in a press release put out prior the announcement of the presidential result, stated that failure of the National Returning Officer (NRO) to publish the results at lower level infringes transparency, accountability and democracy, adding that reception of sensitive materials and stages of tabulation at the various regional tally centres lacked transparency while noting that the ECSL did not share with party agents and citizen observers the total number of polling station results cancelled and the number and type of corrections.

The press release indicated statistical inconsistencies between the first and second batches of presidential results that was made public by ECSL on the 26th and 27th June and a conspicuous discrepancy in the number of average valid votes as per polling station with a low number of invalid ballots nationwide and a high turnout of voters in the Southeastern region.

Some concerned and patriotic Sierra Leoneans have called on the ECSL Boss to do as instructed and not to plunge the country in a deep economic mess as things already stand. They called on the CEC to make public the true outcome of the presidential polls to avoid what may befall this nation.

But it could be recalled that the president re-elected, Dr. Julius Maada Bio during a meeting with women leaders has cautioned the international community not to meddle into the internal politics. He cited that he has made tremendous gains in rebranding the country’s image to the outside world, adding that Sierra Leone is a sovereign state.

President Bio warned that he will take punitive action against anybody or group of individuals that is trying to bring shame and disgrace to the country as he believes that power comes from God and will hold his with two hands.

He stated that the ECSL is an independent body and was not the one who conducted the election and therefore was not in control of anything relating to the electoral process, adding that through his exemplary leadership skills the country has gained indelible records to be given a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council.