Section 23: Election of President.

(1) The members of the National Delegates Conference of the Recognised Party shall elect a person to be the Leader of the Party, and such person shall be the sole candidate in an election to the office of President (hereinafter referred to as “the Presidential candidate”). (2) The Presidential candidate shall deliver his nomination papers to the Returning Officer on such day and at such time as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament. (3) The Presidential candidate shall not be entitled to take part in an election to the office of President unless he has paid such election fee as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament on or before the date fixed by the Electoral Commission in that behalf. (4) The following provisions shall apply to an election to the office of President: a) all persons registered in Sierra Leone as voters for the purposes of election to Parliament shall be entitled to vote in the election; b) the poll shall be taken by a secret ballot on such day or days, at such time, in such manner as may be prescribed by or under an Act of Parliament. c) after the expiration of the time fixed for polling, the votes cast shall be counted and the Returning Officer shall declare the Presidential candidate to be elected as President if such candidate has received a majority of the valid votes cast. (5) If the Presidential candidate or the person elected as President before he assumes the office of President dies or the Presidential candidate is not elected President, the members of the National Delegates Conference of the Recognised Party shall elect another person to be the Leader of the Party, and such person shall be the next Presidential candidate and the foregoing provisions relating to nomination and election shall apply. (6) A person elected to the office of President under this Section shall assume that office on the day upon which he is declared elected, or upon the date that his predecessor's term of office expires, whichever is the later. (7) A Presidential Election Meeting shall take place:— a) if a retiring President continues in office after the beginning of the period of four months ending with the date when the term of office of the retiring President would expire by the effluxion of time, during the first three months of that period; b) in any other case, during the period of one mouth beginning with the date when the office of President becomes vacant: Provided always that whenever there is a vacancy during any dissolution of Parliament the Presidential Election shall be held and completed before the election of members of Parliament. (8) Parliament shall have the power to make laws for the purpose of regulating the election of the President and other matters connected therewith. Presidential Returning