[7][8] Vice-President Solomon Berewa was chosen as the presidential candidate of the ruling SLPP, as well as the party's leader, in early September 2005.

[16] In May 2007, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) delayed the election by two weeks from the previously set date of 28 July, saying that it was necessary to have additional time after parliament was dissolved in late June 2007.

This decision was sharply criticized by the opposition, since it meant the election would be held when the rainy season was at its peak, potentially making voting difficult for many people.

[17] On 11 May, NEC Chairperson Christiana Thorpe rejected requests for the election to be delayed until December, saying that it would be unconstitutional to hold them so late.

Acknowledging the impact the rain would likely have on voter turnout, Thorpe said that there would be more polling stations in order to make voting more convenient.

[21] In a letter to the Inspector General of Police in early August, Berewa alleged that the APC and the PMDC were planning to disrupt the election and intimidate SLPP supporters.

[23] Acts of violence escalated in the run up to the polls, especially in the capital, Freetown, and the south-eastern cities of Bo Kenema and Koidu Town.

Marie-Anne Isler, head of the European Union observer mission, described voting as "well organized, positive and transparent", but also said that the SLPP enjoyed a strong advantage due to incumbency and the support of some traditional chiefs, and that it was "extremely dominant" in state television coverage.

[26] EU observers also said that Berewa appeared to have distributed money to voters at his home, a claim that the SLPP denounced as "baseless and unfounded".

[25] On August 13, Kabbah discouraged "provocative or inflammatory statements" and said that police would "deal firmly with any threats to the peace and stability of the nation".

[29] Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed for the preservation of "an atmosphere of calm and public order" and said that "any potential dispute" should be resolved "within the established legal channels".

[39] Margai's support for the APC provoked controversy in the PMDC, however, with some feeling that his decision was made without properly consulting the party.

Koroma's campaign called for Berewa to recognize defeat and back out of the second round in order to save the money that would have to be spent on it, but the SLPP refused to do so.

Reider predicted victory for Berewa and said that the government should receive credit for being democratic and law-abiding, enabling the APC to win the parliamentary election.

The parties performed poorly outside of their regional support bases;[5][49] the APC won only two of its 59 parliamentary seats outside of the north and west.

[51] Foh alleged that a paramount chief in an eastern district had brought mercenaries from neighboring Guinea to intimidate voters by firing near polling stations.

[52] Two small parties, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Peace and Liberation Party (PLP), respectively led by Amadu Jalloh, the fifth place presidential candidate, and Kandeh Baba Conteh, the sixth place candidate, announced their support for Berewa in a press conference on August 27.

[53] Fourth place candidate Andrew Turay of the Convention People's Party (CPP) also announced his support for Berewa in early September.

[56] In an interview with Voice of America, Reider claimed that Berewa had actually received 20,000 more votes than Koroma and that there were irregularities, particularly in the north and west, regarding which he said the SLPP had requested an investigation from the NEC.

Clashes erupted in Freetown on September 1 and reportedly left dozens of people injured; police intervened with tear gas.

[63][64] The APC said that the SLPP had not corrected the problems that it said led to the previous violence[64] and alleged that its supporters were being harassed that the Kamajor militia, active during the civil war, was being rearmed.

[67] In a statement on September 10, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon praised the election as proceeding in a "generally orderly and peaceful atmosphere, in spite of the tensions and violence that marred the campaign period" and urged people to "exercise restraint".

[68] As vote counting occurred, both the SLPP and the APC claimed to be ahead and both said that they would reject results from areas where their agents were allegedly not allowed access to polling stations.

APC spokesman Alpha Kanu said that his party's agents had been unable to access polling stations in parts of Kailahun, Kenema, and Pujehun districts in the south.

[3][4] Koroma was sworn in as President at State House in Freetown on 17 September, the same day that the results were announced,[79] at a ceremony attended by Berewa and Kabbah.

[81] Some in the SLPP have accused Kabbah of contributing to its defeat, alleging that he betrayed the party due to distrust and jealousy that he harbored towards Berewa.