By Amin Kef Sesay
In a new development on the 5th February 2021 ,the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Sports of the Sierra Leone Parliament instructed the SLFA Electoral Body to “stay action” in their ongoing 2021 electioneering process until the Committee concludes its engagement with the football family. That pronouncement was made by the Chairman of the Committee Honourable Alusine Alu Conteh.
Parliament gave the directive during a meeting between SLFA and its electoral body as it looks into an alleged “impasse” on the nomination process for the February 26th and 27th Elective Congress in Makeni City.
Deliberations were made by various stakeholders including the SLFA, Electoral Committee, Appeals Committee, the Ministry of Sports, NSA, and others. At the end of all deliberations, the Parliament Oversight Committee on Sports gave directives to halt the electoral process “until the Committee concluded its engagement with the Football family”, among other directives pronounced.
It must be noted that FIFA, the world football governing body states in its rules that Government or political interference in the game or administration of football is unacceptable.
In an earlier Press Release issued by the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) Electoral Committee dated 4th February, 2021 and signed by Oluniyi Robbin-Coker as Chairman it was categorically stated that the Provisional Status of Candidature of Nominees for 2021 Elections pursuant to the Electoral Process that commenced on December 21 2020, the Electoral Committee (EC) of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) is obliged to provide members of the SLFA, the nominees, the football family and the general public with an update on the current state of the process.
It furthered that Article 11 of the SLFA Electoral Code of 2012 stipulates that all nominees must be examined for the suitability of their candidature adding that according to the Electoral Schedule, that process should have been completed on January 31 2021 and notices sent to the individual nominees thereafter.
The EC, it was also stated, is pleased to report that it has satisfactorily completed its preliminary examination of the candidature of the 17 nominees.
However, it was pointed out, the Committee has been earlier constrained to communicate its findings, due to the fact that fourteen (14) out of the seventeen (17) Nominees were petitioned by and amongst the membership of SLFA, on issues of their “suitability” to run for their respective offices.
The Committee stated that in its consideration and determination of the said petitions it notes with concern that almost all of the petitions forwarded to it fall out of the Committee’s remit/mandate as statutorily provided for under the SLFA Statutes and the Electoral Code.
According to the Release, the Electoral Committee is therefore limited to only make any decisions on those issues around the nomination requirements/criteria as prescribed by its guidelines, which have been accordingly determined.
Consequently, it was highlighted, the Electoral Committee is pleased to publish a provisional list of candidates that are deemed “qualified” to run for the various offices, subject to the completion of their integrity test investigations and the petitions currently in process by the Judicial Bodies of the SLFA.
The Release further provided the Names, Categories and Status of those mentioned below:
- Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai – President – Qualified
- Isha Johansen – President – Qualified
- Sadick Deen-Nyarkoh – President – Qualified
- Rodney Micheal – President – Qualified
- Thomas Daddy Brima – President – Qualified
- Augustine Kambo – Vice President 1 – Qualified
- Anthony Navo (Jnr) – Vice President 1 – Qualified
- Brima Kamara – Vice President 1- Qualified
- Idrissa Tarawally – Vice President 1- Qualified
10.Alie Badara Tarawallie – Vice President 2 – Qualified
- Francis Amara Konuwa – Vice President 2- Qualified
- Abdul Kanasieu-Rollings – Ex-Officio – Qualified
- Mohamed Sorie Jalloh – Ex-Officio – Qualified
- Ramatulai Kamara – Ex-Officio – Qualified
- Sheriff Barrie – Ex-Officio – Qualified
The below candidates qualification are pending as stated:
- Kweku Lisk – Ex-Officio – Additional information required
- John Dissa – Ex-Officio – Additional information required
