Sierra Leone’s new president calls on rival not to challenge results

Julius Maada Bio (L) takes the oath of office as new president of Sierra Leone on April 4, 2018 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. 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. 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. / AFP PHOTO / Saidu BAH

Sierra Leone’s new president, Julius Bio, has called on the All People’s Congress candidate, Samura Kamara, to drop a legal challenge against the result, and hinted he might offer him a role in government.
Bio was declared winner late on Wednesday with 51.81 per cent of votes and was sworn in hours later, but Kamara, who polled 48.19 per cent, said the vote was marred by fraud and he would challenge the result.
“I’ll very much encourage him to move away from that path and come,” Bio told Reuters in an interview.
“He is a resource. He has the expertise and the experience. And I think we can put those to work in addition to all that we have to make sure that Sierra Leone is a better place.”
Though he stopped short of saying so, Bio’s remarks suggested he sought to bring Kamara, a former foreign affairs minister, into his government in order to placate him.
While he won the presidential poll, in a parliamentary election held at the same time, Bio’s Sierra Leone Peoples Party won only 47 of the 132 seats.
Kamara’s APC got 67, a slim majority.