In a move to safeguard democratic processes, Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio has deferred signing the newly passed “Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2026,” sending the legislation to the Supreme Court for an official judicial opinion.
The decision follows a petition submitted on September 4 by civil society group Institute for Governance Reform (IGR), which questioned the constitutionality of the parliamentary procedures surrounding the bill’s approval. Parliament formally transmitted the measure to State House for presidential assent on September 10, amid mounting public debate and divided national opinion over the proposed changes.
Invoking Section 122(1) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, President Bio mandated the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to facilitate the legal referral. The executive office emphasized that major adjustments to the country’s constitutional foundation require unambiguous legal clarity and broad national consensus to maintain public trust in democratic institutions.
The Clerk of Parliament has been formally notified of the executive action. In the event that the Supreme Court’s ruling extends past the 14-day window following the bill’s presentation, the President will withhold a final decision and notify Parliament immediately upon receiving the court’s opinion. State House framed the intervention as an unprecedented effort to uphold constitutional compliance and governance transparency.
ABJ/APA