Failing to Secure Two-Thirds Majority on Constitutional Amendment Bill: C4C Threatens Court Action Against Speaker
The Leader of the Citizens for Change (C4C), Dr. Allieu Iscandri, has threatened to take legal action against the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, over the passage of the Constitutional Amendment Bill amid a dispute over the constitutionally required voting threshold.
Speaking on AYV Television’s Wake Up Sierra Leone, Dr. Iscandri strongly condemned the manner in which the bill was passed, describing it as a violation of parliamentary and constitutional procedures.
“The attempt by the SLPP Government to perpetuate its rule through the misuse of state resources against the will of the people is what we are up against. Should this continue, we will pursue legal action in the Supreme Court.”
Dr. Iscandri maintained that the Constitutional Amendment Bill failed to secure the constitutionally required two-thirds majority of Members of Parliament, which he argued is necessary for amendments to the Constitution.
He further criticized Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas for allowing the bill to proceed through a simple majority voice vote, despite objections from opposition MPs. According to Dr. Iscandri, the Speaker’s decision amounted to prioritizing the interests of the ruling SLPP over the requirements of constitutional law.
The C4C leader warned that opposition parties and coalition leaders could seek redress before the Supreme Court to challenge the legality of the amendment process if the government continues along what he described as a pattern of constitutional violations.
The controversy centres on competing interpretations of the Constitution. While the ruling SLPP argued that the bill could be passed by a simple majority under Section 91(1), opposition lawmakers, including the APC and other coalition leaders, maintained that Section 108 requires a two-thirds majority for constitutional amendments.
The dispute escalated when opposition MPs walked out of Parliament during the proceedings.
Despite the walkout, Speaker Segepoh Thomas proceeded with the parliamentary process and declared the bill passed. However, he subsequently referred the disputed voting threshold to the Supreme Court for authoritative interpretation.
The development has intensified the constitutional and political debate surrounding the amendment process, with opposition leaders maintaining that any amendment to the Constitution must strictly comply with the prescribed constitutional requirements.
