By Sorie Fofana.
SLFA delegates are set to elect a new President in Makeni on the 26th and 27th February, 2021. So far, the process of electing a new SLFA President has not been a bed of roses. It appears that, the 5-member Electoral Committee is finding it very difficult to conduct a free, fair and credible election.
In 2013, the APC Government and FIFA wanted Isha Johansen to be the President of SLFA at all costs. The Electoral Committee disqualified Isha Johansen’s main challenger, Rodney Michael from contesting the election. The SLFA Appeals Committee overturned the verdict of the Electoral Committee by insisting on having Rodney Michael’s name on the ballot paper.
The APC Government and FIFA felt unhappy with the decision taken by the SLFA Appeals Committee to allow Rodney Michael to challenge Isha Johansen for the Presidency of SLFA. The Electoral Committee was dissolved and a Normalization Committee headed by APC strongman, Alie Fornah was set up.
Some APC heavy weights including Momodu Pat-Sowe, Sanusi Bruski and Paul Kamara came together and forced through the disqualification of all the SLFA Presidential contenders. Isha Johansen sailed through even without a contest. This singular decision led to seven years of chaos and disorder in Sierra Leone Football under Isha Johansen’s Presidency.
The current SLFA Electoral Committee members now have the opportunity to conduct a free, fair and credible election. If they fail to do so, History will judge them harshly.
Now, it is understood that some of Isha Johansen’s key supporters are making unsubstantiated allegations against certain aspirants just to get them disqualified from the contest. For example, four aspirants for different elective positions in SLFA have been charged for allegedly making threatening remarks. The four are Mohamed Kallon, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai (for President), Kasho Holland Cole and Hon. Francis Konowa (for Vice President). It is understood that Isha Johansen’s key supporters are boasting that all the other aspirants will be disqualified leaving Isha as the sole candidate for the SLFA Presidency. This will not augur well for the credibility of SLFA. Isha Johansen’s running mate is media mogul, Anthony Navo (Junior).
We hope that History is not about to repeat itself! Isha Johansen has presided over a fractured and chaotic SLFA for almost eight years now even without a clear mandate from delegates. It is time for members of the SLFA Electoral Committee headed by APC strongman, Oluniyi Robin Coker to show that this is not a contest between APC and SLPP. This is a family contest.
We hope that a level-playing field will be allowed to prevail in this election! Period!
