The National Electoral Commission (NEC) has announced the postponement of Paramount Chieftaincy elections in various areas across the country.
According to the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Christiana Thorpe, the deferral was to allow the candidates, for the said elections, enough time to review the lists as stated in the Paramount Chieftaincy Act.
Dr. Christiana Thorpe said NEC has shifted all elections that were scheduled to take place from the 25th to 28th November 2009 in seven (7) out of the forty (40) chiefdoms. The elections in the said chiefdoms would now be held from 13th to 18th December 2009.
Among the chiefdoms affected include the Wara Wara Yagala Chiefdom whose election has been deferred to 18th December, Sandaloko Chiefdom 17th December, and Lugbo Chiefdom 13th December 2009.
Dr. Thorpe said the declaration process has ended, adding that the revision process is still pending.
Christiana Thorpe has also issued a stern warning to certain parliamentarians in the Lokomassama Chiefdom to desist from campaigning for certain candidates. "Such an act is not in conformity with Section 7 (2) of the Act," she added.
She advised that political leaders should stop imposing candidates on the people, adding that they should allow the people to vote and elect their preferred candidates.
According to Dr. Thorpe, she is 95% satisfied with the conduct of the Paramount Chieftaincy elections so far.
The Chief Electoral Commissioner has also highlighted that his Commission is in receipt of protestation letters from certain candidates. She said her Commission is not mandated to look into such issues, whilst informing that it is the sole responsibility of the Local Government Ministry. She however, assured that NEC is closely following the situation.
© Copyright by Awareness Times
Newspaper in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
