The Sierra Leone’s National Electoral
Commission (NEC) has ordered the recount of ballot papers for
presidential election in 247 Polling Stations (PSs) in the country .
The Polling Stations according to a
document released by the commission on Monday, in Freetown are located
in seven out of 16 districts in the country.
The districts are Kenema, Tonkoli,
Kambia, Port LokoBonthe, Western Area Rural and Western Area Urban. The Commission said 10 polling stations
were affected in Kenema, 10 , Tonkolili, 16, Kambia, 83, Port Loko,
66 and Bonthe, 30.
Others are Western Area Rural, 13 and
Western Area Urban, 29.
It noted that the recounts order in the
was given as at 5 p.m., local time, on Sunday.
In the NEC’s Tally and Results
Procedures for 2018, the commission set out the circumstances which
may lead to a recount in the NEC district offices.
Recounts are permissible under section
89(3) of the Sierra Leone Public Election Act 2012.
The law permits party agent, present
during counting of ballot papers to request for recount, but the NEC
Presiding officer retains the right to decide whether the request is
reasonable and to refuse if in the case that it is not
All recount takes place in NEC office
is open to party agents and observers.
The Chairman of the commission, Mohamed
Conteh, on Monday at a press conference, disclosed that recounts were
already going on in some polling stations.
According to Conteh while the majority
of the results have now been entered into presidential election
result sheet, NEC had identified some forms that require examination
before they could be accepted as genuine results.
He added that the processes were built
into the system to ensure integrity and accuracy of the final
results.
“The Public Electoral Act 2012 allows
NEC to take any necessary steps in examining these results. These can
include the recount of these ballot papers in affected polling
stations.
He disclosed that recount were underway
now in relevant districts offices.
“ NEC will take any necessary step to
ensure accuracy of results and to safeguard votes legitimately cast
by Sierra Leoneans on March 7.’’
Conteh also promised that the final
result would be announced as soon as possible.
No formal information yet as to when
the final result of the presidential election will be announced.
The commission is mandated to announce
the result not later than a week after election day.
*Agency report
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