By Chernor M. Jalloh
“Democracy survives only when citizens defend its institutions as fiercely as they criticise its leaders.” — Alexis de Tocqueville
I recently came across an article in The Organiser News, authored by Abu Shaw (London, 02/12/2025), branding President Julius Maada Bio as a “comical and illegitimate president.” In a country as politically fragile as Sierra Leone, such language is not merely provocative — it is perilous. Terms like illegitimate carry the potential to inflame public sentiment, shifting citizens from disagreement to disorder, especially in a region where governments have too often collapsed under the weight of inflammatory narratives rather than verified facts.
As a governance lecturer, I know that legitimacy is not measured by how much a leader is liked, but by whether constitutional procedures were followed, whether the state and its partners recognise the outcome, and whether lawful mechanisms exist to resolve disputes. By these standards, Sierra Leone’s 2023 elections — though imperfect — did not produce an illegitimate presidency.
International observers criticised aspects of the process, yes, but none declared the results void. Instead, they urged dialogue. That dialogue produced the October 2023 Agreement and the Tripartite Committee, whose reforms are now being implemented. Even the opposition accepted institutional resolution, not insurrection. If the aggrieved party chose the legal route, why should commentators now manufacture illegitimacy where the system found none?
This is where Abu Shaw’s claim collapses: international recognition. In June 2025, West African leaders unanimously elected President Bio as Chairman of ECOWAS. No regional body elevates a leader it considers illegitimate. This same president presided over the United Nations Security Council, addressed the G20 Summit, and led ECOWAS mediation efforts in Guinea-Bissau. These are not honours extended to impostors; they are confirmations of sovereign authority.
Blaming Bio for the APC’s 2023 loss also ignores the party’s internal fractures. Many senior APC figures did not fully rally behind Dr. Samura Kamara’s claims. Some quickly pivoted to planning for 2028. Political parties must own their strategic choices. One cannot abandon a fight and later accuse the opponent of stealing the victory.
Sierra Leone desperately needs courageous journalism — journalism that questions government decisions, demands transparency from ECSL, and pushes all parties toward reform. What it does not need is the casual weaponisation of the word illegitimate. West Africa is littered with examples — Guinea, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau — where such narratives helped pave the way for unconstitutional change.
Let us not rehearse that tragedy here.
President Bio may be contested and imperfect, but he is not illegitimate. He is the constitutionally sworn-in, regionally affirmed, and internationally engaged President of Sierra Leone — and current Chair of ECOWAS. These are facts that endure beyond the noise of political quarrels.
Legitimacy is not a favour granted by commentators; it is the constitutional order we uphold for the sake of national stability.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 8th December 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
