National Returning Officer and Chairman of the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone, Mohamed K. Konneh, has yesterday, Tuesday, June 28, declared the candidate of the All People's Congress (APC) winner of Constituency 56 Parliamentary by-election in Tonkilili District.
He made the declaration at the Commission's Conference Hall,Tower Hill in Freetown. The event was witnessed by journalists from various media houses and the EU Ambassador was also in attendance.
"In exercise, therefore, of the powers conferred on me as the National Returning Officer, by Section 94 Subsection (4) of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No. 4 of 2012),I hereby declare Sesay Jawah of the All People's Congress (APC), who having polled 5,487, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Member of Parliament for Constituency 056 in the Tonkolili District," he declared.
According to the Chairman, 10,417 out of 20,581 registered constituents casted their votes representing 50.6%, noting that the total valid votes cast was 9,675,and there were 742 invalid votes.
He said by the powers vested in it under Section 33 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No. 6 of 1991) and pursuant to the provisions of section 39(1) of the said Constitution, sections 69 (1) and 70 (1) of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No 4 of 2012), Section 10 (1) of the Local Government Act, 2004 (Act No. 1 of 2004), one Parliamentary bye election was successfully conducted in Tonkolili District, and five Local Council bye elections were also conducted in Kenema, Falaba, Karene and Port Loko Districts by the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) on the 25th Day of June, 2022, in accordance with the relevant electoral legal framework.
He said Pursuant to Section 77 (1)(f) and (i) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No. 6 of 1991), the Clerk of the House of Parliament notified the Electoral Commission of a vacant seat in Tonkolili District, Constituency 056 following the inauguration ceremony of former Member of Parliament Hon. Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh as Paramount Chief of Sambaia Chiefdom.
He said according to letters from the Chief Administrators from Falaba, Karene and Poort Loko District Councils, the vacancies occurred as a result of the death of Councillors in the aforementioned District Councils, noting that Kenema District Council dated 15" November 2021, the vacancy occurred as a result of the appointment of Councillor Ismael Koroma as Chiefdom Speaker in Small Bo Chiefdom, Kenema District and for Ward 216 in Karene District, and the vacancy occurred as a result of leave of absence of Councillor Benjamin Roy Kargbo pursuant to Section 9 (d) of The Local Government Act 2004.
He further stated that Two Political Parties contested the Parliamentary Bye-lection in Constituency 056, Tonkolili District including APC and SLPP, four Political Parties contested the Local Council Bye Election in Ward 031, Kenema District including the People' s Movement for Democratic Change (P'MDC), APC, the National Democratic Alliance (NLDA) and the SLPP.
He said two Political Parties contested the Local Council Bye-Election in Ward 138, Falaba District including APC and SLPP. He also stated that two Political Parties contested the Local Council Bye-Election in Ward 216, Karene District including APC and SLPP and also two Political Parties contested the Local Council Bye Election in Ward 212, Karene District, APC and SLPP.
He also stated that three Political Parties contested the Local Council Bye-Election in Ward 252, Port Loko District including the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the SLPP and the APC.
"In exercise, therefore, of the powers conferred on me as the National Returning Officer, by Section 94 Subsection (4) of the Public Elections Act, 2012 (Act No. 4 of 2012), I hereby declare Sesay Jawah of the All Peoples Congress (APC), who having polled 5,487, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Member ofParliament for Constituency 056 in the Tonkolili District."
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Sheriff Jeneba of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SILPP), who having polled 2,993, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Councillor for Ward 031 in the Kenema District, Kamara Mohamed of the All Peoples Congress (APC), who having polled 525, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Councillor for Ward 138 in the Falaba District.
Turay Mohamed Amara of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), who having polled 747, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Councillor for Ward 212 in the Karene District, Bangura Idrissa of the All Peoples Congress (APC) who having polled 1,227, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Councillor for Ward 216 in the Karene District and Kamara James Gassimu of the All Peoples Congress (APC), who having polled 1,661, being the highest number of valid votes cast, duly elected Councillor for Ward 252 in the Port Loko District, he declared.
