Indicted, Sierra Leone`s national broadcaster struggles to save face

The leadership of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) is struggling to save its face after been found guilty [in the court of the European Elections Observation Mission in Sierra Leone (EUOM)] of favouring the ruling party in the run-up to the November 17 elections.

Counting is still ongoing, amid widespread public anxiety.

But despite looming tension with threats by the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) to reject the outcome of Saturday`s vote, international observers were unanimous in their approval of the day`s activities.

However, as experts would say, election is a process; it is more than just the totality of activities of the voting day.

President Ernest Bai Koroma`s All Peoples Congress (APC) party maybe cruising towards a sweet victory, based on provision results, but it seems its success did not come without undue advantage.

“An unequal playing field was evident throughout the campaign period,” reads the preliminary statement of the EU Elections Observation Mission, which is headed by Britain`s Labour politician and member of the European Parliament, Richard Hewitt.

The closely fought elections had nine presidential candidates.

But from the beginning it had been clear that it was a two horse race between President Koroma and former head of state Brigadier General (rtd) Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP.

“Although the ruling APC and the main opposition SLPP dominated the campaign, APC clearly benefitted from the advantages of incumbency by making use of state resources, also enjoyed more media coverage and clearly had more financial resources for campaigning,” the EU observer mission interim statement added.

But the shrewd SLBC should be given a tap on the back for its timely response. However, someone may want to tell the honourable Gbanabom Hallowell, SLBC Director General, that next time he should be more shrewd when choosing the interviewee for a career British (Labour) MP.

Monday was a busy day at the Bintumani Hotel Conference Room 1, at the tourism center of Aberdeen, West end of Freetown, as international elections observation missions took turn to give their initial assessment of the electoral process.

The Carter Center, the Commonwealth and the African Union all said last Saturday`s vote generally met international standard – free, fair and credible.

Iron lady, Dr Christian Thorpe, was certainly the winner of the day.

But, as it always is the case, the observers cited a host of anomalies her predecessor will have to take note of.

Some of these concerns appear to give credence to some of the claims currently being championed by the SLPP.

Curiously, even though no one, not even Christiana Thorpe, can tell who has won, the SLPP is threatening not to accept the final outcome of the polls if its concerns are not redressed immediately.

You wouldn’t expect a party which is hopeful to win an election to make such comment, would you?

Maybe provisional results being aired by the IRN [Independent Radio Network] serves as warning to the Green Party.

Also, you would expect the incumbent in such circumstances to celebrate. But no, the APC is proving good at a game it seems to have perfected within the last over three decades of Sierra Leone`s independence.

“We are neither claiming nor clamouring for victory. We are waiting for NEC to make their pronouncement,” APC`s Secretary General, Victor Foh, was quoted by SLBC last night.

While it awaits the NEC`s official endorsement, as it were, the APC may also have to contemplate a response to the EU`s position that they had more resources than their opponents.

There is also the issue of money changing hands, in other words bribery, involving government officials, who were also accused of exerting undue pressure on certain Paramount Chief (s) apparently to support the incumbent.