BY SAHR IBRAHIM KOMBA
232NEWS, FREETOWN
President Bio accused United States of interfering in the election related matters in June 24 general elections Sierra Leone.
“The United States called and ordered me to stop the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) from announcing the election results and I declined because the institution is an independent and semi-autonomous body charged with the responsibility to conduct elections in Sierra Leone,” he said.
President Bio made this statement in a Public Lecture at the American University School of International Service in Washington DC
Speaking to the press, the Chief Executive of Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) Abdul M. Fatoma said that the allegation made by the President against United States is grave and has the propensity to affect diplomatic relation between the two countries.
He mentioned that the United States believes in democracy, supports and protect democratic institutions in democratic nations and this has been emphasize even in their foreign policy approach towards Africa.
“The United States believes in democracy and good governance and casting a grave allegation against the United States is bad,” he said.
He continued that the United States considered this allegation seriously and they will definitely take action. He continued that diplomatic conversation is meant to be secret. “This outrageous allegation against the US should be a concern to every Sierra Leoneans,” he said.
He noted that they are yet to get response from the US embassy but that if allegation turns out to be true, it a very serious crime in America and Sierra Leone as well.
He disclosed that the Public Election Act of Sierra Leone prevents citizens or any other individual from interfering in the electioneering process.
“If it is proven that US ambassador really called and ordered President Bio to reverse the calling of the election results then that is tantamount to interference in our electioneering process in Sierra Leone,” he added.
The US embassy however denied an interview and said that they do not comment on diplomatic conversation. They did not deny that there was no conversation between President Bio and US ambassador but decline to comment on the issue.
