SUG Election Saga Takes a Twist as Loser Becomes Winner in UNICROSS
By Missang AKPET
The political circle in the University of Cross River State (UNICROSS) seems a bit tense at the moment as the institution gets set to inaugurate its new Student Union Government (SUG).
Recall that on Saturday June 29 2024 the students of the institution conducted elections for the student union body where Igbeng Emmanuel AKA Thywill polled 285 to win his closest rival Achu Kenoly Ndep who polled 216 thereby declaring Igbeng the SUG president elect.
The situation took a different turn when over a month after the elections, the students affairs division of the school sent a notice for inauguration and swearing in of the new EXCO which is billed to hold on Tuesday August 13 2024 with Achu Kenoly Ndep who came second in the election as the new SUG president elect instead of the earlier announced winner Igbeng Emmanuel AKA Thywill.
Findings by THE BEAGLE NEWS reveal that the purported winner Emmanuel Igbeng was disqualified after a petition was filed against him by Kenoly for using his nickname "Thywill" throughout the screening process and in the ballot paper rather than his original name.
The petitioner argued that, 'Emmanuel Igbeng Thywill', is not a recognized name in the institution rather the recognised name is 'Igbeng Emmanuel Lazarus', that the nick name 'Thywill' was used on the ballot to gain popularity and gains rather than his original name while praying the school management to disqualify the said winner and declare him 'Kenoly' the winner.
This is reported to not have been received well by the students of the institution as they have been agitation by them for the school management to steer clear of student politics and swear in the original winner Igbeng Emmanuel as the new SUG president.
Meanwhile, the alleged winner Igbeng Emmanuel is set to challenge the decision in court claiming an infringement on his fundamental human right.
Igbeng who spoke through his attorney Oliver A. Osang Esq in a letter addressed to the school management on Friday 9th August declared that he was duly cleared, contested and won the election and if there was any need to disqualify him because of his name, that would have been done during the screening process and not after the election has been concluded.
"Our client read on social media that a petition was written against him by his opponent who lost the SUG election and a 3 man SUG election petition panel was set up to investigate same.
Our client was never served a copy of the said petition neither was he invited to defend himself nor was he served a copy of the committees report.
"Our client was taken aback by a circular by the Students affairs dated 9th August 2024 for the inauguration of the SUG wherein the name of our client was replaced with that of his opponent who lost the election.
"We hereby unequivocally demand you to reverse or withdraw the said circular within 24 hours from the date of service of this letter on you in the interest equity, justice and fairness" the letter read in parts.
Though it is past 24 hours, as at the time of filling in this report, the school management are yet to respond to the reply nor cancel the planned swearing in as demanded by the letter.
The proposed inauguration is billed to hold in the next 24 hours precisely on Tuesday August 13 at the Multi-purpose hall (New Cafe) by 12 noon.
