Blyden Cautions President Bio Against Signing Disputed Constitutional Amendment Bill

Opposition politician and political commentator Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has strongly advised President Julius Maada Bio against signing the controversial Constitutional Amendment Bill into law, warning that doing so could lead to a humiliating legal defeat if the Supreme Court subsequently declares the measure invalid.

The warning comes amid mounting controversy over Parliament's handling of the legislation. Dr. Blyden has formally challenged both the parliamentary procedure used to pass the Bill and the Speaker's assertion that his rulings on the vote are immune to judicial interpretation or review.

Blyden cautioned that moving forward with assent on the “purportedly passed” bill risks exposing the executive branch to severe political fallout.

“He will face the greatest embarrassment of having the Supreme Court SQUASH the validity of his presidential signature,” she warned, adding confidently: “Take this statement to the Bank. It is as good as gold.”

The dispute centers on whether Parliament achieved the constitutionally required voting thresholds and adhered to proper parliamentary rules during the bill's passage. Blyden previously criticized lawmakers from the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) for staging a walkout during the vote, arguing that remaining in the chamber to abstain would have been a more effective strategy to maintain numerical leverage and register formal dissent.

She had also criticized the Speaker's refusal to refer the statutory interpretation questions to the apex court prior to concluding proceedings, arguing that unresolved legal doubts should always be referred to the Supreme Court.

As calls grow for a judicial determination of the process, all eyes remain on President Bio, whose pending decision on whether to sign or withhold his assent marks a pivotal juncture in the escalating constitutional showdown.