Sweazie does it

Last Wednesday, Student Government Association Elections Commissioner Kerri Harris announced, outside the Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union, Niiobli Armah as president elect of the SGA with 843 votes in the runoff election and Shakelia Sweazie as Miss Southern University elect with 934 votes in the runoff.
“I was ecstatic, it was like a sudden rush of glory to the head,” Armah said. “It was my happiest moment and my saddest because I knew what lied ahead of me. Winning was the easy part.”
Armah said while he never doubted himself or his ability to win, running against an incumbent wasn’t an easy task.
“Going into the race I felt that I was starting off in the negative,” Armah said. “Justin and I were running the same race and I felt like Justin started five yards a head of me so I had to keep asking my self what I could do to make it a level playing field.”
Armah said he prefers having the people who doubted his capabilities around because they provide him with inspiration to do better.
“I don’t look at the haters, I look past them,” Armah said. “There is nothing anyone can do to take my heart off my goals. I want them to be around. It’s motivation to keep me on my toes. I’m looking forward to making a change because I refuse to leave SGA the way I found it.”
Armah expressed his gratitude to everyone who assisted his campaign as well as everyone who voted to elect him.
“I want to personally thank each and every person that came out and voted for me because I don’t take it lightly that I didn’t put myself in office,” he said. “My campaign team and the students put me in office and I hold that to a higher esteem. The students have spoken and now I have to answer to them.”
For Shakelia Sweazie, winning the title of Miss Southern was all about destiny and faith.
“I was excited and blessed,” Sweazie said. “My faith kept me going.”
Sweazie said though she had really good competition, she was convinced this was her time to shine and with hard work and faith she made her dream a reality.
The newly elected officials will be sworn in on April 25 at 8:00 p.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom.
“The real work starts now,” Armah said.