By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)

The battle for the Sierra Leone Football Association Presidency has strongly heated up as severe rivals Babadi Kamara and incumbent president Thomas Daddy Brima confirmed their bids for the presidency of the SLFA top job come August, 2025.

Babadia, Bo Rangers FC, Chairman and businessman tycoon submitted his nominations on Sunday, June 15 at the SLFA Secretariat, Kingtom in Freetown. Kamara’s submission is done on the final day for candidates to validate their ambitions for the job.

His camp believes his entry into the race will tremble the foundations of Brima’s re-election bid, setting the stage for what is widely expected to be one of the most hotly contested elections in recent SLFA account.

Meanwhile, Thomas Daddy Brima, who has held the presidency since 2021, is seeking a second term amid mixed public opinion over his stewardship of Sierra Leonean football. While his supporters cite progress in infrastructure and national team development. Despite that, followers of Kamara are accusing his administration of lacking transparency and failing to secure meaningful growth for the game.

Though, Kamara’s criticizing the current SLFA leadership of gatekeeping and stifling fresh ideas, while Brima’s camp has brushed off Kamara as an opportunist with no proven track record at the national football level.

In a similar development for the contest, candidates Umar Bah and Aminata Bangura have also submitted their payment slips for the presidential race, but observers say the contest will mainly spin around the high-stakes face-off between Kamara and Brima.