By Nasratu Kargbo
Adama Sillah, a third year law student at Fourah Bay College has been elected Students Union (SU) President making her the first female to hold that position in the institution’s 194 year history. She beat the other five contenders in the rerun election that was held on Friday 11 June 2021, her closest challenger being another female law student Fatmata Binta-Jalloh.
The first polling on Wednesday 2nd June 2021 was nullified after widespread violence within the campus and allegations of electoral fraud.
Voter turn was low as compared to the previous polling apparently for fear of potential violence. At the end of the day, Sillah got 257 votes according to results published on social media while Binta Jalloh got 92. In third place was Henry Kumbalay with 23 votes.
Politico made several attempts to reach Sillah but got no response. However in her presidential acceptance speech circulated on social media, she said that it was a historic day, noting that "this will go down in history as Fourah Bay College truly turned a corner, the moment it embraced equality and leveled the playing field".
She promised to work for the wellbeing of all students saying, "I promise not to rest until our union is perfect, until our work is done, your welfare maximized, and address every one of those challenges that bothered me so much that I was inspired to run for this office".
She extend an invitation to her opponents so they could all make FBC “a better place” and said they all have demonstrated leadership.
"To those who voted against me, I respect your decision", she said and promised to work so she could earn their trust.
Reacting to the result of the election, Binta Jalloh told Politico that she was grateful to her supporters but again stated the election had so many irregularities and that she and some other candidates raised concerns, wrote letters to the college administration and different institutions for those problems to be addressed.
"Of course, I cannot say it is not painful that I lost, but not that much; because I know that if we had an equal level playing field, the result would not have turned out the way it did”, she believed.
She claimed her supporters were intimidated and some openly prevented from going to vote after other students misled the Police by pointing them out as non- students, and of his supporters in many instances physically prevented by other students from accessing the polling stations. She said many of those supporting her are first year students who were scared of the unfavourable atmosphere.
"I believe people out there know who the better candidate was, I did not win the elections because there was no fair platform; but I won their hearts and that's what matters", she stated.
In a message that made rounds on social media, Binta-Jalloh also expressed gratitude to all those that supported her and commended them for fighting like genuine and true warriors despite what she said were the "threats, intimidation, frustration and marginalization". She added that some of them were "unfairly arrested and detained for showing vigilance in a bid to protect the ballots". She explained that in the face of all this, their confidence in her leadership never dampened. "I believe in God's perfect plan in spite of the fact that the system was rigged against us" she alleged.
She thanked all those that showed her endless love, and added: "It's the start of a new chapter, and I'm excited about the endless possibilities". She explained that all is not doom and gloom, better things are on the way; she expressed her love to her supporters "I adore you all, and I will be eternally thankful for incredible love you've shown me".
One of the male candidates, Henry Kumbalay responded to Politico but was very circumspect: “Nothing to say, but congratulations to Adama" he said.
The SU is a student-run group that commits its time and resources to give every student of the university, fairness, opportunities and a voice.
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