Sierra Leone Opposition Lawmaker Defies Party, Takes Oath

In Sierra Leone, the lone opposition member of parliament who joined ruling party MPs to take their oath following the June 24 elections says he followed the law. The electoral commission said the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) won a majority of seats (81) compared to 54 seats for the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party. The rest of the APC members did not take their oath because the party says the government tampered with the election results to favor the ruling SLPP. Mohamed Bangura says while he agrees with his party about irregularities in the election results, he wants APC legislators to come to parliament and do the work for which they were elected. Bangura tells VOA’s James Butty, he did not break ranks with his party; he simply followed the constitution.