E-voting: Unilorin students elect new exco

The University of Ilorin Students’ Union last Tuesday (May 19,2015) again proved its Better-by-far status with the successful adoption of the electronic voting system it initiated last year to elect its new leaders.

In the keenly contested election, Mr. Alao Idris Ibrahim aka OBSERVATION , a 400 Level student of the Faculty of Law, emerged the new Students’ Union President for the 2015/2016 academic session.

Alao, fondly called “Observation”, polled a total of 6,508 votes to defeat his two rivals, Mr. Ebunoluwa Zion Ashonibare and Mr. Adedeji Adeyemi Ahmed, who polled 4,793 and 1,395 respectively.

Announcing the results of the election conducted through the University e-voting portal from 6:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. last Tuesday (May 19, 2015), the Chairman, Independent Students Electoral Committee (ISEC), Mr. John Ogedengbe, declared, “Mr. Alao Idris Ibrahim, having satisfied the conditions stipulated in the constitution for the position of the President, is hereby declared winner.”

Mr. Ogedengbe also declared both Miss Imman Lawal and Miss Afuye Olubunmi Olusola Vice-Presidents for Permanent Site (PS) and the College of Health Sciences (COHS) respectively. While Miss Lawal polled 6, 174 votes to defeat both Miss Oseni Adenike and Miss Saidu Sabdat Queen,  who polled 2, 616 and 1, 026 votes respectively, Miss Afuye got 345 votes to defeat her only rival, Miss Uzonwanne Benita Adandy, who had 305 votes.

For the position of General Secretary, Mr. Akano Ifeoluwa Thomas was declared winner with 4,452 votes ahead of three other contestants while Miss Sulaimon Saidat Tunrayo became the Assistant General Secretary with 4, 488votes ahead of her only rival, Miss Anisere Khadijat Adejoke, who got 4, 316 votes.

Also elected were Miss Oyekan Oluwadamilola Olasubomi, Financial Secretary with 5, 146 votes; Mr. Abdulrasheed Mahmud Olatunji, Welfare Secretary (PS) with 3, 092 votes; Mr. Ganiyu Kehinde Oyindamola, Welfare Secretary (COHS) with 299 votes; Mr. Aondongusha Tersoo Isaac, Social Secretary with 7,572 votes; Mr. Joel Karimu Ikazuwagbe, Sports Secretary with 7, 324 votes and Adeyemi Ademola Oluwaseye, Public Relations Officer with 2, 032 votes.

The election result was announced in the presence of the Dean of Student Affairs, Prof. Olubunmi Abayomi Omotesho; the Director of the Center for Computer Sciences and Information Technology (COMSIT), Prof Musa Isiaku Ahmed, and amid tight security provided by security  personnel from within and outside the University.

Speaking on the integrity of the electoral process, Prof. Ahmed, in a chat with Unilorin Bulletin shortly before the announcement of the results, disclosed that registered voters, list originated from the database of COMSIT and contain only registered students for this academic session.

Prof. Ahmed said, “To be sure of the credibility of the process, COMSIT collates list of registered students and print out same for the Vice-Chancellor who releases it to the Dean, Student Affairs and the ISEC to verify and authenticate. It is after their validation that we set to work”.

The COMSIT Director stated further, “That aside, we set up a complaint desk managed wholly by the 28-member ISEC but with technical support from COMSIT staff while election was in progress”. He noted that the common complaints were network congestion and inability to log in by very few students who were still able to vote during the stipulated election period”.

Prof. Ahmed further explained that several filters are in the database to separate students into groups so that those who are not of a particular group cannot watch let alone participate in the activities of other groups. For instance, students of the College of Health Sciences campus cannot see, monitor or vote for positions exclusively reserved for Permanent Site students and vice-versa. Also students in a particular hall of residence are restricted to activities in their area.

Credit: unilorin.edu.ng