Abia State University (ABSU) Students’ Union Government has held its election, after months of delay. UCHECHUKWU AMANZE (100-Level Medicine and Surgery) and FAVOUR NNADI (300-Level Medical Laboratory Science) report.
The Abia State University (ABSU) in Uturu was agog last Tuesday, for the Students’ Union Government (SUG) election. But the exercise came after months of delay.
There was row over delay with some students accusing the president of being the brain behind it. The development left the political atmosphere charged, as candidates jostling for positions groaned after they ran out of money to run their campaigns.
The poll was held amid uncertainty, which resulted from the delay. A day before the election, the candidates met with students at a forum where they reeled out their manifestoes. The exercise, held at the school auditorium, almost ended like a political rally, as candidates and their supporters disrupted the show with campaign materials and songs.
The candidates, who spoke of their programmes, were cheered; those who gabbled were booed by opposition supporters.
On the day of the election, the contestants embarked on last–minute canvassing for votes. Security was tight on the campus. Security men frisked every student moving into the school to vote. It took hours for some students to gain access into the campus through the school gate.
The election was supposed to be held at the New Examination Hall, but the massive turn out of students made the electoral committee, led by Students’ Affairs’ Officer, Mr Emma Nwoke, to change the venue to the school pavilion.
At 10am, accreditation of electorate started. The prerequisite for voting was the copy of school fee receipt. The voting started at noon and ended at 3pm, after which counting of votes followed. As the exercise went on, candidates’ supporters, who gathered a few meters away from the pavilion, jubilated as rumour milled round that their candidates were leading.
In the middle of the exercise, a controversy ensued, following the discovery of malpractice in the counting of votes for Assistant General Secretary. It was gathered that about 40 ballot papers, which had one of the contestants’ name, Oluchi Ujoh, were imported into the ballot box.
Candidates’ agents raised the alarm, arguing that it was possible for the controversial ballot papers to be “neatly arranged” if someone had not cast multiple votes. The attention of Nwoke was drawn to the development, which led to examination of the ballot papers. Nwoke said there was no evidence to show that anyone cast more than one vote, ordering the ballots to be counted as valid votes.
At the end of the exercise, the Dean of Student Affairs, Mr Samuel Uzoanya, declared the results in front of the Administration Block. Ugochukwu Chukwuemeka, a 500-Level Law student, emerged the president, polling 1,160 votes to defeat Godwin Nwankwere, Fredric Israel and Christian Otutu, who garnered 475, 293 and 215 votes.
Also Princess Chukwuemeka was elected unopposed as Vice-President. Others elected include Felix Onyekwere, General Secretary, Oluchi Ujoh, Assistant General Secretary, Ireland Adaobi, Director of Socials, Ndu Okeke, Director of Welfare, Chimezie Ezemdi, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Reuben Uchenna, Treasurer, Ozioma Eluwa, Director of Sports, Victor Alugo, Financial Secretary and Amaka Kelechi, Director of Transport.
Uzoanya urged the elected students to be good ambassadors of the school.
Despite the controversy that trailed the exercise, members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Abia State chapter, who were around to monitor the election, described the election as successful. Speaking to CAMPUSLIFE after the exercise, the NANS Treasurer, Rodney Okwusi, said the election was free and fair. He hailed the electoral committee for what he called a “job well done”.
Jeniffer Obiah, a 100-Level Medicine and Surgery student, praised the school security personnel and the electoral committee for making the process free of malpractice and violence.
Bonaventure Ifoegbu, another student, said: “The election was devoid of hitches and this is commendable.” He advised the students’ leaders to work hard and make the union better.