Sierra Leone: Bio delays signature and refers to Supreme Court

The bill was submitted to the presidency on September 10 for assent. Bio has tasked the Attorney General and Minister of Justice with facilitating the referral to the Court under Article 122(1) of the 1991 Constitution.

The postponement stems from a petition by the Institute for Governance Reform received by the presidency on September 4. This petition challenges the legality of the parliamentary procedure that led to the adoption of the reform and seeks judicial clarification before any promulgation.

The text was adopted on August 10 after the withdrawal of members from the opposition All People’s Congress. The opposition and several civil society organizations argue that the constitutional two-thirds majority was not achieved and are calling for the publication of the vote counts.

The reform notably proposes lowering the victory threshold in presidential elections from 55% to 50% plus one vote. It would also make proportional representation permanent for legislative elections and establish a 30% quota for women in party nominations.

A few days earlier, Bio had called for inclusive electoral reforms before 2028, emphasizing the importance of credible voter registration, transparency in results, and the resolution of disputes.

According to the notification sent to Parliament, if the judicial opinion is not received within 14 days of the bill’s presentation, the presidential decision will be communicated upon receipt of the Supreme Court’s opinion.