A row has broken out over the students union election at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State. Some students accused the management of meddling in the poll. But others described the election as free and fair. GABRIEL OGUNJOBI (400-Level Social Studies Education) reports.
Mixed feelings have continued to trail the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Ile-Ife, Osun State. Some students alleged that the elections were “tactically rigged” in favour of some candidates seen as management’s stooges. Others said the process was free and fair, urging students to accept the outcome in good faith.
The election, which held penultimate Thursday, produced Ibukun Oyekan, a 400-Level Medicine and Surgery student, as president. Ibukun polled 1,168 votes to defeat his closest rival. Tosin Jacob garnered 2,002 votes to become the Vice President-elect.
The atmosphere on the campus was tense in the build-up to the election. It was a serious battle among students in different political camps. The electioneering was marred with accusations and counter-accusations, as candidates struggled to outdo one another. In what was seen as a mischief, some candidates dubbed their opponents as management’s puppets, raising concern among neutral students on the management’s involvement in the conduct of the election.
The students’ suspicion was heightened by a report that management released N1 million to support the electoral process. Apparently disturbed by the development, some students vowed to mobilise voters against candidates perceived to be favoured by the management.
Former Deputy Speaker of the union Oluseun Olowofoyera accused the Electoral Committee Chairman, Olusola Falade, of favoritism, saying the committee openly endorsed a candidate. But, he could not support his claims with proof.
Gbenga Ogunrinu, an Economics Education student, said the election results were “grossly distorted”, adding that the process was far from being free and fair.
He said: “We could all feel the pressure from the management on the electoral committee to get its candidates elected. There was a tactical rigging by people, who wanted their candidates to win at all cost. I am glad that students showed uncommon will to reject some of these favoured candidates.”
A 300-Level Zoology student, Nafiu Ishola, said the election was fair to “a large extent”, since no candidate had forwarded a petition to the electoral committee on the results. He said the claim of malpractice was aimed at discrediting the process.
The election has come and gone; students seem to have put the outcome of the process behind them. Some have started to set an agenda for the elected leaders, raising expectations that the incoming leaders would step up the union’s welfare programmes.
Gbenga, a 300-Level student, felt the union did not live up to its billing in the previous administration. Expressing optimism on the readiness of the incoming executives to change the course of things, Gbenga said the president-elect would bring his competence and integrity to bear in returningthe past glory of the union.
Nafiu set three agenda for the incoming leaders. According to him, the union must ensure that the school maintains a stable academic calendar, attend to students’ welfare and communicate its monthly activities to students.
The Vice President-elect, Tosin, hailed the students for choosing her despite her bland performance during the manifesto. She said the collective interest of the union would supersede individual interest, adding that the union would uphold the values bequeathed by the previous leaders.
Other elected officer included General Secretary, Boluwajaiye Adeoluwa; Assistant General Secretary, Oluwaseun Oyebanjo; Financial Secretary, Kehinde Omisakin; Public Relations Officer, Simon Okediji; Welfare Secretary, Adekanmi Ajiboye; Director of Socials, Adedayo Afolabi and Michael Adewunmi, Sports Director.
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