By Paul Ejime in Freetown
Heads of International Election Observation Missions have been meeting with representatives of Development partners in Freetown synergise support for successful presidential run-off vote in Sierra Leone on Saturday 31st March.
The meeting, which was held on Tuesday, stressed the need for all stakeholders to play by the rule and for observers to exercise vigilance on all stages of the electoral process including during the declaration of the poll results.
In attendance at the meeting were ECOWAS, AU, Commonwealth, EU, the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), UN and Mano River Union.
There were also representatives of diplomatic missions (UK, USA, Ghana, Germany and Ireland), among others.
This followed a crucial meeting facilitated by the Heads of Missions on Monday where the two political parties, APC and SLPP and their presidential flag bearers agreed with the National Electoral Commission (NEC) on the new date for the election.
This was after a Freetown High Court had vacated its interim injunction suspending the vote, which was earlier scheduled for March 27.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone’s National Elections Commission (NEC) has approached the Supreme Court to validate the March 31st date for the run-off vote.
This is to forestall any possible legal action over the legitimacy of the poll in view of the constitutional provision, which stipulates that a run-off must take place within two weeks after declaration of the results of the first round of voting.