FREETOWN, Sierra Leone’s opposition challenger Julius Maada Bio secured his first term in office as a civilian Wednesday when he was declared the winner of a controversial presidential run-off — but his opponent vowed to contest the result.
Bio, a former soldier who briefly led a military junta more than two decades ago, won 51.81 percent of ballots in last month’s election, according to official results.
CONTESTED RESULTS
He beat incumbent Samura Kamara, who secured 48.19 percent of the vote, ending a decade in power for Kamara’s All Peoples’ Congress (APC) in the poor West African nation.
Cheers and songs erupted among thousands of Bio’s supporters who were gathered in the capital Freetown on Wednesday evening.
Shortly after the announcement, Bio was sworn in as president, handed a symbolic command baton by the country’s top judge.
Source: Daily Nation
Comments are closed.