President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone, whose ruling Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) faces the prospect of losing power in the second round of a presidential election, is threatening to impose a state of emergency, news agencies report.

The BBC reported today that Kabbah warned, in a television address made yesterday, that he might declare an emergency after two days of clashes between rival parties.

His warning came as the SLPP issued a statement complaining that supporters of the main opposition party, the All People's Congress (APC), had "brutally assaulted" SLPP supporters.

Kabbah was quoted as saying that "The government shall not hesitate for one moment to declare a state of public emergency if the current state of intimidation, molestation and violent acts is not stopped immediately."

The APC has already won a majority of seats in parliament. Its presidential candidate, Ernest Koroma, drew the most votes in the first round of voting for the presidency, and he now faces a run-off with the SLPP's candidate, and Kabbah's vice-president, Solomon Berewa.

The SLPP's statement, carried on its website, said that the "political situation in Sierra Leone is getting grave." It recounted details of a clash on Sunday in which it said APC supporters had initiated violence and later attacked security guards at SLPP offices. On Monday, it added, two SLPP supporters arrived at the office with "serious stab wounds all over their heads."

The SLPP also accused the APC and "so-called independent newspapers" of blaming it for starting violence. The APC, the statement said, "should... not be given the impression that any one of the candidates will be the next President irrespective of the outcome of the result. We all must, as a matter of duty, stop those who are threatening the state with brutal and murderous war and genocide."