Thirty-six years old BBC stringer won the SLAJ presidential elections on Saturday after he brought down Philip Neville and Karim Sei with relative ease. It was a closely contested election but results show that the winner had supremacy over his partners and that voters were just waiting for the time to cast their ballots from their long drawn conclusion.

Umaru Fofana maintained his firm grip in the North which determined his victory. Fofana trashed down his hottest rival Philip Neville to a crashing point in the Northern Region. Fofana took away 44 votes, while Neville fell way down to 13 votes which was a devastating blow to him and Karim Sei got 2 votes. Neville immediately became a worried competitor because he was expecting the magic in his favour in the North. Even though top sources say senior citizens of Makeni in particular heaped pressure on voters to vote in Nevilles favor, secret ballot had its toll on his ambition.

Neville nearly clamped Fofana's wheel in the Eastern Region. Neville scored threatening result that sprang panic in Fofana's camp. Kenema was the first to count their votes in the whole country. When Kenema result filtered in with Fofana winning with a frustrating margin of 21 votes to Neville's 18 votes and Karim Sei went home with 6 votes, Issac Massaquoi, Team Leader 'Catch Them Young', the brains behind Fofana's drive for popularity in the Eastern Region said; "I am sure a lot of resources were used in the Eastern Region. However, a 3 point lead is a lead. We will win the elections."

This signaled hope for the Neville camp until the Northern result was echoed. The weather in Neville's camp became gloomy as double heart beats hit in with almost all those who were wishing for victory for Nevill. Silas Gbanjia of Citizen Radio, a confidant of Neville had earlier told me that his presidential candidate of the Dream Team, Philip Neville had a strong bargain with the voters in the northern region but that the result at the end showed a contrary expectation.

Shortly after the Northern victory was eared in favor of Fofana, another lead came but a narrow one from the Southern Region. Neville did remarkably well so much so that Western Area result became the deciding factor. Fofana won Southern Region with 48 votes to Neville's 40 votes and Karim Sei scored 5 votes.

Counting commenced in Freetown and as it progressed, I discovered members of Neville's camp shivering with cold and absolute surprise. Some were fixed to their seats as they could not believe their ears as Fofana continued taking the votes in Freetown . Fofana descended on Freetown with a heavy force, pounding all pitched tents in favor of Neville. He succeeded in shattering Neville's hold on the city, taking away Neville's pride with little respect for age, experience and clannism. Fofana dealt a knock out to Neville's camp that they were rolled over like mountain rocks. Fofana had natural backers who expressed venom for Neville on the grounds that he is not a professional journalist due to the manner he (Neville) has been practicing the profession. The Freetown community played a pivotal role in Neville's demise. Fofana was in the heart of the people of Freetown who cajoled journalists into believing that Fofana could make a good leader to

Neville. Freetown community showed high interest in Fofana and it got translated in the journalists vote on Saturday when Fofana gave a sweeping defeat to Neville. For Freetown, Fofana carried 95 votes, Philip Neville 68 votes and Karim Sei settled with 41 votes.

It was a shock to Neville that his perceived cordial relationship with his colleagues did not transform to concrete victory as the polls indicated. He was told through the ballot box to take the back seat in SLAJ and remain an elderly state man in SLAJ.

The wave of change took Neville and his cronies off guard and quietly succumbed to the dictates of democracy. Fofana was duly elected president of SLAJ after taken 208 votes to earn him victory over his opponents Philip Neville and Karim Sei

James Tamba Lebbie, lecturer Mass Communication department FBC happens to be a member of Fofana's 'Catch Them Young' Team. He said his team used the bottom -top approach to effect change in SLAJ. "We did not buy votes. We funded our own campaign, avoiding politicians and business houses. My President will certainly embrace all journalists across the nation. We knew we were going to win all the regions. I am not surprised at all about our victory," Tamba Lebbie said.

In his victory speech, Mr. Fofana said; "Change is here. The answers have come from all corners of the country. SLAJ is no longer business as usual. For my opponents, all the bitterness is over now," adding that the victory is for all members of SLAJ including those who voted for his opponents. "We will have public interest; support all efforts of government and stake holders for the development of our country."

The new executive comprise of Abdulraman Swarray-Vice President; Mustapha Sesay-Secretary General, Ismail Koroma-Assistant Secretary General, Hawa Tucker-Organizing Secretary, Mariama Sesay- Financial Secretary and Sayo Kamara- Public Affairs Secretary.

SLAJ electoral commissioner Samuel John declared the winners and expressed satisfaction over the comportment of journalists all through out the election period. LONG LIVE SLAJ.