Sierra Leone election observers flag 'statistical inconsistencies'

FILE PHOTO: Sierra Leone's President and ruling party candidate Julius Maada Bio speaks to journalists after casting his vote for national elections at a polling station in Freetown, Sierra Leone, June 24, 2023. REUTERS/Cooper Inveen/File Photo

DAKAR (Reuters) - European election observers in Sierra Leone said there were "statistical inconsistencies" in the presidential results published by the electoral commission, which declared President Julius Maada Bio the winner of Saturday's vote.

The European Union Election Observation Mission called on the commission on Wednesday to promptly publish disaggregated results data per polling station to allow for public scrutiny of the results, without which it said transparency was compromised.