Sierra Leone Gist : FBC Students Against Administration...Students Union Elections Suspended by Admin

Following disturbances by students of the Fourah Bay College (FBC) on the 19TH October, the College Administration has halted the 2016-17 student union elections until further notice. Students spread oil on the steep road heading to the campus and threw bottles and stones at passing cars to protest against an Administrative decision to limit contestants in the elections previously scheduled for October 21st.




The Administration’s decision to suspend the student government elections came after a technical issue, which NUSS, Public Relations Officer and student at FBC, Michel Conteh, described “as minor misunderstanding between the student union body and the College Administration”. The Administration limited the list of nominated candidates based on technical qualifications of students running for Union positions.

Conteh continued, “The Administration’s decision to suspend the elections was as a result of a misrepresentation of the views of the general student body and some irrelevant points raised by the Administration”. See accompanying article, “Disqualified students did not meet election criteria”.

Conteh added, “The allegations of not fulfilling the desired requirements for contesting the elections by two popular candidates is nothing to write home about. The question of eligibility should focus on some more reasonable points such as being a fully paid-up and registered student who has no criminal record”.

Protesting students affirmed their lack of confidence in the other candidates that the Administration approved. Conteh called on the administration to come up with a decision that reflects the views of the general student body.

Meanwhile, as Conteh reaffirmed the commitment by students to resolve the situation using non-violent means with regards to the elections scheduled for today, the Administration has stressed that all students must leave the college campus until further notice. According to a Press Release from the College Administration, “any student found loitering on campus will be arrested”.
Source Awoko