By Hasbin Shaw in Freetown, Sierra Leone
The presidential run-off is set and ready to roll with the arrival of the ballot papers today, March 22, 2018 at the Lungi International Airport outside Freetown, a senior official of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has told Groove 106FM.
The head of media and outreach at the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Albert Massaquoi said when the materials arrive they will be taken to the NEC warehouse, which will be followed by distribution to polling centers and stations across the country.
“As a commission we are ready for the conduct of the election, and we will do all that is possible to have a peaceful, free, fair and credible election. There is no way we will conduct an election that is not credible,” he said.
On the issue of transport election materials, the NEC communication manager said the police have always assisted in providing security for the transportation of voting materials.
“The police will not be in charge of the materials, but they will provide security including the military, as this has always been the norm,” he said.
Mr. Massaquoi, however, expressed concern over information making rounds on social media and traditional media about boxes been found which are untrue. “The boxes allegedly found in Ogoo Farm west end of Freetown are the property of NEC warehouse. The media blow it out of proportion to make the Commission look bad,” he added.
“We have not done anything to make the elections look bad. It is the politicians that want to make us look bad for which they have their own motive,” Massaquoi noted, adding that “as a commission we have learnt our lessons and we have put in place corrective measures for the March 27 runoff election. As a commission also we continue to meet with political parties, and so far they are satisfied with what we have done. We continue to engage and addresses concerns as they come.”
He added that “the National Electoral Commission (NEC) will conduct the presidential runoff election on March 27, 2018, between the opposition Sierra Leone People’s party (SLPP) and the ruling All People’s Congress (APC). The SLPP won the first round of voting with it flag bearer Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio scoring 43.3 percent, while the APC candidates Dr. Samura Kamara scoring 42.7 percent of valid votes cast.
We have also blacklisted all NEC staff that compromised during the first round of the election,” Massaquoi said.
