Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. President Julius Maada Bio has removed Edmond Sylvester Alpha as Chief Electoral Commissioner and appointed a nominee put forward by the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) as his replacement.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in a press conference at the State House in Freetown to mark this year’s April Fool’s Day.
The decision marks a significant climbdown by the government following sustained opposition protests and a debilitating parliamentary and governance boycott that has paralyzed legislative business since February 2026.
Alpha’s appointment in February as Chairman of Electoral Commission For Sierra Leone (ECSL) had ignited a firestorm of controversy, with the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) accusing the President of stacking the ECSL with a partisan operative widely blamed for irregularities in the disputed 2023 general elections.
Edmond Sylvester Alpha’s brief tenure as Chief Electoral Commissioner was defined by fierce opposition from civil society and political rivals alike. Before his removal, he had served as a commissioner during the 2023 elections, which international observers described as lacking credibility and producing “statistically improbable” results.
The Lawyers’ Society and the Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ) had both urged President Bio to withdraw the nomination, arguing that confirming Alpha would undermine ongoing constitutional reforms recommended by the Tripartite Committee, which was established after the 2023 electoral impasse.
“Proceeding with the appointment of a Chief Electoral Commissioner through the same process that contributed to the current electoral mistrust risks undermining confidence in the credibility of future elections,” the APC had warned in a statement issued in February, ordering its legislators to boycott Parliament.
In a move that caught many political observers off guard, President Bio opted to remove Alpha entirely rather than continue to defend the appointment. Sources close to the presidency indicate that the decision was reached following back-channel negotiations facilitated by the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC).
The new appointee, whose name was submitted by the APC leadership, is expected to be vetted by Parliament in the coming days.
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