President Cannot Reverse Electoral Commissioner Appointment, Minister States

President Cannot Reverse Electoral Commissioner Appointment, Minister States

Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, clarified that President Julius Maada Bio lacks the constitutional authority to unilaterally reverse the appointment of Edmond Alpha as Chief Electoral Commissioner of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL).

Speaking on 98.1 Radio, Minister Bah emphasized that the president cannot arbitrarily revoke the appointment:

“The President does not have the power to wake up in the morning and reverse the appointment of Edmond Alpha as Chief Electoral Commissioner.”

These comments come in the wake of heightened political tensions following the All People’s Congress (APC) decision to withdraw its elected officials from Parliament and Local Councils in protest of Alpha’s appointment. The APC has contended that the appointment compromises public trust in the Electoral Commission and breaches prior electoral reform agreements.

Minister Bah underscored that the ECSL's independence is constitutionally protected and that appointments to the commission are governed by legal protocols that the president cannot override. He characterized any attempt to reverse the appointment as unconstitutional, reiterating the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and preserving the integrity of the electoral process.

The minister’s statement serves as a definitive assertion that constitutional provisions safeguard the autonomy of the Electoral Commission, thereby ensuring the ECSL's continued operation without executive interference.