Freetown | 19th January 2021 | Vertex Media

The Electoral Committee of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) has held its second press briefing updating the public on the electoral process. Since the announcement of the Elective Congress on the 21st December 2020 at the Home Suutes Hotel in Freetown, nomination process for potential aspirants for various positions in SLFA has been completed on the 8th January 2021. Nomination guidelines for the February 27th elections were shared to the media and members of the SLFA in December 2020. Following the issues that emerged in the process, the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Mr. Oluniyi Robin Coker and others have therefore deemed it necessary to update the media and the general public on how the process is going.

MEMBERS OF SLFA

The chairman made it clear that individuals are not members of the Sierra Leone Football Association. The members of SLFA are institutions like the Premier League clubs, the District FAs, the Regional FAs, the Referees Association, National Veterans Association (National Heroes) and Coaches Association, as provided for in Article 10 (1) of the SLFA Statutes/Constitution. “They are the actual members of the FA, not individuals,” he emphasized.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Individuals aspiring for elective positions in the forthcoming SLFA Elective Congress are to be nominated by MEMBERS of SLFA. “When it comes to the nomination process, it is a member entity that has to nominate individuals. Individuals cannot nominate themselves, only a member entity or member entities would nominate, that is one entity proposing and the other entity seconding the nomination. Note that only members who have regularised their status or membership are entitled to nominate a candidate. Your membership is only valid after you have regularised your status in the FA.

MEMBERSHIP REGULARISATION

The SLFA Constitution requires that every SLFA member should regularised its membership every year. For the sake of fairness in the ongoing electoral process, an extension was given to those who haven’t done so to do so in order to enable them to participate in the nomination process.

It is obvious that your membership is invalid with the FA until you regularise it, each year. This will allow you to enjoy your rights as a member.

NOMINEES

There were 17 successful nominations received before the January 8th deadline. 5 nominees for the position of the President; 4 nominees for Vice President 1; 2 nominees for Vice President 2; and 6 nominees for the Executive Committee positions.

Presidential Nominees

1. Rodney Michael, nominated by Pujehun District FA, seconded by Moyamba District
2. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, nominated by Old Edwardians F.C, seconded by F.C Kallon
3. Thomas Daddy Brima, nominated by Central Parade F.C, seconded by Anti Drugs F.C
4. Kofi Deen Nyakoh, nominated by Ports Authority F.C, seconded by Bo District FA
5. Isha Johansen, nominated by Eastern Region FA, seconded by F.C Johansen

Vice President 1 Nominees

1. Brima Kamara, nominated by National Heroes, seconded by Western Area Rural District FA
2. Idrissa Tarawally, proposed by Ports Authority F.C, seconded by Old Edwardians F.C
3. Augustine Kambo, nominated by Central Parade F.C, seconded by F.C Kallon
4. Anthony Navo Jr, nominated by East End Tigers F.C, seconded by East End Lions F.C

Vice President 2 Nominees

1. Francis Amara Konowa, nominated by F.C Kallon, seconded by Old Edwardians F.C
2. Alie Badara Tarawally, nominated by Portloko District FA, seconded by Tonkolili District FA

Executive Committee Nominees

1. Abdul Kanasiu Rollings, nominated by Ports Authority, seconded by Old Edwardians
2. John D. Dissa, nominated by National Heroes, seconded by Western Area Rural District FA
3. Kweku Lisk, nominated by East End Lions F.C, seconded by F.C Johansen
4. Ramatulai Kamara, nominated by Karene District FA, seconded by East End Tigers F.C
5. Sheriff Barrie, nominated by Anti Drugs F.C, seconded by Central Parade F.C
6. Mohamed Sorie Jalloh, nominated by Tonkolili District FA, seconded by Portloko District FA

ON MOHAMED KALLON

The Electoral Committee says that Mohamed Kallon was not successfully nominated by the close of the January 8th 2021 nominations. He was reportedly lack a valid member(s) of the FA to nominate him. Even his club F.C Kallon could not nominate him, they instead submitted nominations for other candidates.

AGGRIEVED MEMBERS

The Committee stated that the nomination process was clearly communicated to all members of the FA. They further said that anyone who feels aggrieved with the process should take their complaints to the Appeals Committee of the FA, and to do so very fast within the stipulated time.

WHAT NEXT? INTEGRITY TEST?

Now that the nomination process has been completed, the nominees will now face the Ethics Committee to do their INTEGRITY TEST, in consonance with the SLFA Codes of Ethics, which are the same with the FIFA Codes of Ethics. The nominees have already collected their forms for the Integrity Test. After they have been successfully vetted, a final list of contestants or aspirants will be published for the February 26th & 27th Elective Congress in Makeni City.

In Conclusion however, the process was marred by violence which resulted in one person being hospitalized and the other being turned over to the police. The incident has also been reported to the Disciplinary Committee of the FA.

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