The Election Observer Mission to the Sierra Leonean elections led by former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has declared the elections peaceful.

The Mission also called for calm as the citizens awaits election results.

A statement by Jonathan’s Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, confirmed on Friday that the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA)’s election observation mission led by Jonathan had on Friday in Freetown declared Wednesday’s general elections in Sierra Leone as peaceful and orderly.

The statement added that the polls were “conducted substantially in line with sub-regional, continental and international standards.”

The statement quoted Jonathan as stating in the EISA’s interim report presented to the

media that voter turnout was impressive while the conduct of polling personnel was professional.

The statement quoted him as urging the people of Sierra Leone and all stakeholders to remain as the electoral body continues to transmit and collate results of the elections.

Jonathan’s Media aide in the statement said that the former President had opined in his interim report that there was “room for

improvement especially in the legal framework to further level the playing field.”

The statement further read: “The EISA Election Observation Mission commends the people of Sierra Leone for turning out in large numbers to register their will on 7 March 2018. In the absence of an incumbent in the presidential race, the presidential election seems to be one of the most keenly contested in the post-civil war period.

“The EISA EOM notes the efforts of the different institutions to guarantee the integrity of the elections. On election day, voter turnout was impressive and the conduct of polling personnel was professional. There were technical glitches that necessitated the postponement of elections in 18 polling stations. Election day proceeded in a largely peaceful manner albeit with isolated incidents that were immediately addressed.

“The EISA EOM is of the view that the process up until the end of the

first day of tallying has so far been conducted substantially in line with sub-regional, continental and international standards although there is room for improvement especially in the legal framework to further level the playing field.

“The EISA EOM urges the people of Sierra to remain calm while they wait to see the process through. We call on political leaders to show true leadership by respecting the rule of law throughout the results tally process.”

The statement named other observer groups which returned similar verdicts in their earlier

presentations as including Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Union (AU), The Commonwealth, Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA), European Union (EU), and The Carter Center (TCC).

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