By ACJ UNIBEN
It was a sunny and busy day in the University of Benin, as students came out enmass to exercise their franchise in the Students’ Union elections, which was held on valentines’ day, February 14th, 2023. The elections were carried out at about thirteen different polling units at the Ugbowo Campus while at the Ekehuan campus, the elections were held at the Nelson Mandela Common Room.
Not all were allowed to vote, except they had paid their current level school fees as this was one of the major voting criteria, according to laid down electoral guidelines. In an interview with a 300 Level student, Omoregie Sharon from the department of Business administration lamented over the school fees criteria for voting eligibility, “I think it’s unfair, whether you’ve paid your school fees or not, as far as your are a certified student of the University of Benin you should be allowed to vote. Because, restricting it to only school fees is like encroaching on the students franchise,” she said.
Another student, Victoria Idelia from the faculty of Management science, expressed her satisfaction over the rules governing the elections, “I feel the election is okay and them asking for school fees printout is a good initiative. Because, it is easier to identify a student with the school fees printout and eligibility slip. So, this one is quite better.”
The students at the Faculty of Engineering, were converged at their polling unit at the University of Benin staff School.
In an interview with the student electoral chairman, Jeremiah Ijiebor, the electoral representative for life science, did a briefing on how the whole process had been thus far.
When asked why persons that were eligible to vote were only those with the current level school fees receipt printout, Jeremiah said, “Because of the fact that we are trying this year to change the narrative, where they say, that electoral procedures and the rest is always tampered with. So, the electoral commission sat down and said, if we are going to do something then, we must do it right. So we decided to use the school fees printout for as eligibility for voting.”
He further stated that anybody can carry ID card, because it is not authentic and it can be forged.
Jeremiah also said that the information was released for students to be aware before the election.
“The information was disbursed, it was part of the guidelines that we gave, which was circulated. In the guidelines it was well spelt out that 100 level, carryover and spillover students are not allowed to vote. In the guidelines, it is stated that it is school fees that makes any student eligible. Students that claim not to hear that information, were not either aware or they were not just conversant with the current happenings around them.”
The results for Engineering Polling unit at Staff school are as follows:
PRESIDENT
Nmoye Israel = 58
Emeka Destiny Osari = 510
Scott Ogunseri = 46
Total number of votes= 616
Total number of valid votes= 613
Total number of void votes= 2
VICE- PRESIDENT
Idemudia Osasogie Divine= 400
Winner Oyibo = 207
Total number of votes= 617
Total number of valid votes= 607
Total number of void votes= 10
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Ehis Irabor = 230
Emmanuel Efeakpokrire Ezekiel = 239
Chukwu Jeremiah Ogbonnaya = 232
Total number of votes= 714
Total number of valid votes= 701
Total number of void votes= 13
DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL
Marcellus Uche Ugwueji = 422
Bimbola Righteous =182
Void votes = 9
Total number of votes= 613
Total number of valid votes= 604
DIRECTOR OF SPORTS
Aghedo Eghosa Destiny= 75
Edward Ifeakachukwu Ogude = 58
Atori Samuel= 477 Oghenechuko
Total number of valid votes= 610
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER/ DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION
Gerald Kosisochukwu = 338
Chikamsi Emmanuel Akahara= 259
DIRECTOR OF WELFARE
Omoruyi Destiny = 10
Okoro Andrew = 7
Alpha King Lemuel = 596
Ebiighe McKay = 5
Total number of votes= 620
Total number of valid votes= 618
Void votes = 2
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Arwodigari God’s will = 238
Albright Chisom=369
Void votes = 10
Total number of votes= 617
Total number of valid votes= 607
ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL
Omoruyi Clinton Eyagbon= 655
Void votes = 14
Total number of votes= 669
Total number of valid votes= 655
SECRETARY GENERAL
Osahon Destiny = 403
Rita Apeji =304
Void votes 7
Total number of votes= 714
Total number of valid votes= 707
The election was observed closely by agents, the electoral committee and security officers.
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