June 3, 2021
BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
Yesterday student election witnessed a dramatic twist with violent scenes of running battle between the Police. Tear gas canisters were discharged to disperse aggrieved student who claimed that they were disenfranchised because their names were omitted from the voter list.
With six presidential candidates in the race, the showdown has invariably been between the White and Black camps, represented by two female candidates.
In the melee that ensued between the Police and students, ten students were arrested and one escaped with one of the ballot box into a nearby bush. The arrested students were up to press time detained in Police custody.
Responding to the violence that erupted during the vote casting process, the Deputy Vice Chancellor professor Lawrence Kamara informed journalists that the presidential aspirants will be held responsible for the damages caused when an estimate would have been done by the Estate Officer.
He further informed that the college had about one thousand five hundred registered students who were eligible to vote but however claimed that other students were imported at Fourah Bay College from other campuses to foment the tension.
He continued that a good number of students really had no intention to vote but rather create unnecessary terror. He added that the election was scheduled for 9:30 to 3:00 but said only a single presidential aspirant was around at that time which delayed the vote casting until 1:00 pm. He disclosed that the administration had to put a halt to the election due to the violent confrontation yesterday on campus.
He said the administration will now send the remaining ballot boxes to the Office of the National Security for safe keeping. He also disclosed that the University Administration will be having a general meeting today and the next action will be communicated regarding various options whether to cancel the entire electioneering process, or to use the current result and announce the winner.
“For sensitive boxes like this, we have been dialoguing with the police and the ONS and we have agreed that the boxes will go to ONS for proper security. By tomorrow we are going to have a general University meeting and next step will be communicated since there are various options which will be decided at the meeting”, he said.
Talking to the two main presidential aspirant regarding the entire election, Adama Sillah, one of the main aspirant representing the black camp described the situation as unfortunate which they never expected. She said that she was personally attacked by an unknown person who pelted stone at her and that the response by her supporters delayed the election as it was planned by the administration.
She added that they have so much on the activities around the election and that exams are at the corner and therefore, she said the student union election should not be a do or die activity among them since their primary focus on campus is to acquire education. She encouraged her supporters to remain calm and wait for the decision that will be made by the administration.
On her part, Binta Jalloh f another main contesting aspirant for the White Camp raised concern that the boxes taken to the Office of the National Security were opened. She added that there will be a possibility for the boxes to be stuffed. She saidt before the start of the election, her camp raised a concern to the administration for the Student Union Building to be barred from students but the administration gave deaf ears to their concerns which caused the heavy presence of students around the venue where the elections were conducted.
She furthered asserted that the electioneering process was not fair and that she will not accept any result that will be announced by the administration claiming that, not even 5% of the registered students were allowed to vote.