By- Aruna Rashed Toma Bangura

The Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh has responded to statement made by the Leader and flagbearer of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party, Dr. Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara that all Commissioners of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone should resign within 72hrs (3 days) which he said they will not do but will carry on to conduct the elections this weekend 24th June, 2023.

According to Mohamed Kenewui Konneh, the statement of the APC Leader, Dr. Samura Kamara is an unreasonable demand to request that the Electoral Commission and the entire Electoral Commission Board Members to resign on the basis of no reasonable justification, adding that the statement of Dr. Samura Kamara calling on International partners and organisations to conduct the elections is unconstitutional to be uttered by a Leader of  a political party longing to become the next president of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Mr. Konneh disclosed that when he was appointed as the Chief Electoral Commissioner by incumbent President Julius Maada Bio, he has interact ted with all executive phases of the main opposition party APC ranging from the old, interim to the present executive members of the party. He added that the 72hrs demanded by Dr. Samura Kamara is out of order as they are not going to resign as Commissioners for the Electoral Commission.

“We are going to conduct these elections because we have prepared very well to hold the elections on the 24th June, 2023,” he confirmed. He disclosed that they had a meeting with the National Secretary General of the All Peoples Congress who confirmed to the commission three times that they will take part in the elections slated for 24th June, 2023 (This coming Saturday).

The Chief Electoral Commissioner and National Returning Officer said they have been working with the interim executive Chairman of the APC party, Alfred Peter Conteh by then and, he said the interim executive was involved in every step of the way during the registration process, “so they need to go and ask them how they were working with us,” said Mohamed Konneh.

He continued that they have done whatever they could as far as they are concerned and the APC, he disclosed has been part of all the electoral process and discussions, adding that three issues when he assumed office to make credible elections with inclusion, transparency and accountability and political parties have been briefed in all of their activities.

“ So for them to sit and wait at this time to tell us that they are going to do whatever they are demanding and whatever decision they will take we are not going to resign,” Konneh stated while he stated that they have the last correspondence where they highlighted all the issues raised by political parties.

“The bottom line is we as the Electoral Commission, we are ready and we are going to conduct the elections,” Konneh concluded.