Sierra Leone: Presidential Hopeful Fatmata Binta Jalloh Calls For Calm As SU Elections Are Postponed
May 26, 2021
By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma
One of the Presidential aspirants in the Fourah Bay College Students’ Union Government Elections, Fatmata Binta Jalloh has expressed disappointment over the unexpected postponement of the Elections by the college administration.
The elections which were slated for Friday 28th May 2021 will now hold on June 2nd 2021.
In an official statement, the presidential hopeful called on her supporters to remain calm and exercise restraint as she and her team take steps to constructively engage the relevant authorities further on reasons for the deferment adding that her team will take all steps necessary to initiate dialogue with the administration for a speedy and amicable outcome in the best interest of students.
“I wish to express, in unequivocal terms, my disappointment with this latest development. In particular, my team deplores the lack of consultation by the University with the aspirants and the wider student populace. We also express regrets that the said notice failed to provide any information on the reason for such a postponement,’’ the statement reads.
According to the statement, it said that a notice shared on social media and signed by the Office of the Warden of Students, in which the University said it had reached the decision to defer the election for the Students' Union Presidency to the second week of the second semester following a meeting of the Administration and the Elections Management Committee.
‘’Fourah Bay College has waited for over 190 years to elect its first female president. I am confident that I represent the best chance that the students of Fourah Bay College have at realizing that dream. Though this historic moment might have received a temporary delay, I am certain that the future is bright and female and it is Binta!’’ Madam Fatmata Binta Jalloh said.
The Presidential hopeful however called on all students to be patience and urged them to ‘’just hang in there a little! Positive Change that will cater for the "General Good" and not just the "Chosen Few" is coming!.
Meanwhile, a statement from the University of Sierra Leone Media Directorate on Tuesday said the SU elections at FBC will be held on Wednesday 2nd June 2021 adding that nomination process has completed and the warden of students has provided the list of all students aspiring for the presidency.
‘’The Administration is compiling the voters’ list in order to exhibit them within a reasonable time as a prerequisite for free and fair elections. The administration will be meeting with the aspirants tomorrow at 10:30 am to deliberate further rules of engagement,’’ the statement reads.
The statement from the University Media Directorate urged students to remain calm in the interest of peace, security and stability.
If Wednesday’s poll go as planned, this will be very historic as for the first time in almost two hundred years since FBC was founded, a female president will take up the mantle of leadership of student at Aureol. The winner will inherit several problems which students have faced for decades from insufficient class rooms, electricity problem, and lack of water running facilities on campus among others. The winner of the polls will succeed Augustine Bona.
Fourah Bay College is the oldest University in sub-Saharan Africa founded by the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in 1827.
