The Coalition for Change (C4C) party has denied being consulted by President Julius Maada Bio about the appointment of the new National Electoral Commission chairman, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh.
As one of the potent opposition political parties, C4C has cautioned NEC to be mindful of its duties as a national institution, especially during the conduct of elections.
The party has therefore registered its displeasure over the said appointment noting that it is very much troubled with the appointment of Mohamed Kenewui Konneh for the position of a Chief Electoral Commission, which has left opposition parties with so many questions than answers.
In a strongly worded position statement issued from C4C secretariat by the C4C National Secretary General, Koighor Alysious Foh explains that the party’s leadership was called at State House for a meeting, informed about the nomination of the person and not consulted, clearly pointing out that consultations would have left room for the party leaders to undertake due diligence and revert to the president on views about the nominee.
This, according to the statement didn’t happen in the appointment of Konneh, as consultations would have make provisions for discussion of the candidacy of the new NEC chairman; a process which is said to have flouted the true spirit of consultations.
The C4C party therefore observed in its statement that the said consultation process should have not been rushed with by the Government and the president, reiterating that political parties are representing Sierra Leoneans, thus such decision deserve the full considerations of all political parties.
It further charged that the true spirit of consultation was “unheeded,” in the appointment in question and cautioning NEC to be mindful of its duties as a national institution.
The statement informed that C4C Members of Parliament at the Appointment Committee have been instructed by their party leadership to call for confirmation if the new NEC chairman voted in the last elections as required by law.
