By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
In a Maiden Edition Press Conference at State House, the newly appointed Press Secretary Solomon Jamiru has on Friday 11th August 2023 confirmed that there has been no legal contestation against the re-election of His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, the democratically re-elected President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
“I would wish to emphasize at this point that given the elections conducted in June, there has been no legal contestation. His Excellency the President was declared elected as per Section 42 Sub-section 3 of the constitution, having pulled 56 percent of the total valid votes,” State House Press Secretary Solomon Jamiru stated.
The Press Secretary went on stating the constitutional mandate in which he said that the laws in Sierra Leone provided for any challenge to the validity of the outcome of any elections as per section 54 of the public Election’s Act.
“No such a legal contestation has taken place. So the legitimacy of His Excellency the President has no contestation at all,” he reiterated.
In his statement at the press conference, Solomon Jamiru emphasized that the President had received a wide array of recognition and congratulations both locally and internationally. He made mentioned of ECOWAS, African Union, Commonwealth, United Nations, African Development Bank, and a good number of other countries which he said had congratulated the President on His re-election.
As the President is currently in Abuja, at the time of reporting, for an ECOWAS engagement regarding the political situation in Niger, Jamiru said that the President had been receiving courtesy in Sierra Leone, adding that all of those were a demonstration on the lack of contestation or challenge on his re-election.
Recalling the June 24 election as being considered the most peaceful election in Sierra Leone, the Press Secretary re-echoed President Bio’s appreciation to the People of Sierra Leone and for their massive turnout and comportment during the pulling day. He extended his appreciation to the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone and other election management bodies, Civil Societies, the Media, the Security Force and every Sierra Leonean for what he described as a wonderful and fantastic election’s outcome. State House Press Secretary assured that President Bio is very much committed in continuing on the gains his government had made in the past five years. Ranging from Freedom of Expression and of the Press to other achievements he mentioned, the Secretary strongly assured that the President is ready to deepen and consolidate those gains.