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In the lead-up to the Western Area Football Association (WAFA) elective congress, two aspiring candidates for the chairman position, Noel Kitami Horton, General Manager of Luawa FC, and Abdul Barrie of Standard Football Club, have raised concerns about the conduct of the elections.
Both candidates are urging the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), the Ministry of Sports, and the National Sports Authority (NSA) to promptly investigate the alleged irregularities that marred the electoral process.
Horton and Barrie have voiced their dissatisfaction with several irregularities that occurred during the election proceedings.
Firstly, they claim that they were disqualified from the race, effectively eliminating any competition for the incumbent chairman, Philip Buck, who was declared the sole eligible candidate.
They argue that the WAFA Secretary-General, Benjamin Gordon Esquire, and incumbent chairman Philip Buck appointed an electoral body comprising individuals closely associated with them, thereby compromising the integrity of the process.
This action allegedly violates the association’s constitution, as the congress is solely responsible for approving members to serve in critical committees.
The aspirants further highlight that their disqualification was unjustified. They argue that they were informed about the requirement for a police clearance certificate on the 1st of June, with a submission deadline set for the 2nd of June. Obtaining such a certificate typically takes three working days, rendering it practically impossible for them to comply with the sudden demand. Moreover, they point out that the nomination forms lacked proper signatures and dates, suggesting an oversight by the secretariat.
Additionally, they claim that the nominating members failed to pay their annual subscriptions, further raising doubts about the disqualification process.
Horton and Barrie also raise suspicions about the candidacy of Philip Buck. They allege that Buck paid the fifteen million Leones (15,000,000) required as candidature fees after the designated deadline, thereby violating the rules.
In light of these concerns, the aspiring candidates request that the entire election process be closely monitored and verified to ensure transparency and fairness.
They conclude their joint letter addressed to the SLFA, with copies sent to the Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Authority, by emphasizing their intention to seek legal recourse through the High Court of Sierra Leone if the matters are not promptly addressed.
