The Sierra Leonean general election holds today as 13 candidates seek election to become the next president of the West African country.
About 3.4 million Sierra Leoneans are eligible to vote in the general elections, out of an estimated 8.4 million people in different districts across the country.
Incumbent President Julius Bio of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) is seeking a second and final term in what promises to be a straight contest between him and Samura Kamara, 72, the flagbearer of the All Peoples Congress (APC). However, apart from Mr Kamara, other candidates are challenging Mr Bio in the presidential contest.
The candidates are Bah Mohamed Chernoh of the National Democratic Alliance; Coker Prince, People’s Democratic Party; Jonjo Mohamed, Citizens Democratic Party; Kabuta Henry, United National Peoples Party; and Kakay Iye, Alliance Democratic Party.
Others are Kamara Musa, Peace and Liberation Party; Margai Francis, People’s Movement For Democratic Change; Saccoh Dougakoro, Revolutionary United Front Party; Sandy Patrick, National Unity and Reconciliation Party; Sowa-Turay Mohamed, United Democratic Movement; and Williams Victor, Republic National Independent Party.
In addition to the presidential ballot, Sierra Leonean voters will also elect members of parliament and local councillors in what will be the fifth election since the end of the country’s civil war, 21 years ago.
READ ALSO: Jonathan arrives Freetown ahead of Saturday’s general election in Sierra Leone
According to the electoral provisions, if no presidential candidate secures 55 per cent of valid votes cast in the first ballot, the top two candidates will slug it out in a run-off two weeks after the announcement of the first-round result.
Time in Sierra Leone is observed in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) all year, one hour behind the West Africa Time (WAT) observed in Nigeria. Time stamps in this live updates are in Sierra Leonean time.
PREMIUM TIMES is on ground to give you live updates of happenings throughout the election.
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