It was an important reminder that Parliament is not merely a lawmaking institution, but the guardian of democratic legitimacy. In recent days, I have heard arguments that the high cost of conducting presidential re-runs and by-elections justifies a shift towards proportional representation in Sierra Leone. Respecting that mandate is as important as respecting the Constitution itself. A proportional representation system should not replace first-past-the-post simply because it appears less expensive. If cost becomes a determining factor, we risk reducing democracy to an accounting exercise and weakening the very principles that sustain our democratic order in Sierra Leone.