Sylvia Blyden: Constitutional Amendment Bill A Ploy To Delay 2028 Elections
Updated: Jul 31
Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, a prominent political commentator and legal expert, has raised concerns that a primary objective of the Constitutional Amendment Bill currently before Parliament is to delay Sierra Leone’s 2028 general elections. According to Dr. Blyden, this move could unconstitutionally extend the tenure of both the President and the current Parliament.
In a statement released on Thursday, July 30, 2026, Dr. Blyden argued that existing constitutional mandates dictate a strict timeframe for the next Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
She highlighted that the current Parliament held its inaugural sitting on July 13, 2023, meaning its five-year constitutional lifespan concludes on July 13, 2028.
"The life of this Parliament ends exactly five years after its first sitting," Dr. Blyden noted.
Under current laws, elections must be conducted within 90 days of the dissolution of Parliament. This places the latest possible date for the next election at Wednesday, October 11, 2028.
Dr. Blyden expressed skepticism toward political actors who suggest the elections could be postponed.
"I pity those in the SLPP and APC who hope for a delay beyond the constitutionally entrenched deadline of October 11, 2028," she remarked.
Addressing her previous silence on the matter, she explained that she believed the Bill would eventually encounter significant legal hurdles.
"I have not commented extensively until now because the Bill is approaching a stage where it faces a critical obstacle to its intent of extending tenures," she stated.
Dr. Blyden further questioned the procedural integrity of the amendment process, specifically regarding whether Parliament has the authority to split a single gazetted Bill into two separate Acts without republishing them individually.
Citing Section 106 of the Constitution, she described the proposed legislation as a "Joblo Jabla"—or jumbled—Bill. She argued that these procedural inconsistencies would likely prevent the Bill from achieving its alleged goal of delaying the electoral calendar.
Concluding her analysis, Dr. Blyden reaffirmed her stance that the existing constitutional framework will prevail.
"Based on the disorganized nature of this Bill, I can confidently affirm that the next elections will be held no later than October 11, 2028," she concluded.
Her analysis has intensified the ongoing public debate regarding the Bill's potential impact on Sierra Leone’s democratic processes.
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