UPDATE: Report on the Postponed FOSSSA Election

The election of the faculty of Social Sciences held yesterday, the 13th of July, 2017 at the faculty's lecture theatre, was one of its kind.

Although scheduled to commence at 11am, the process started at about 12:30am and ended by 4:30pm. It was ensured that the process was free and fairly easy for the voters. However, not all voters could get a chance to vote before the time for the election process elapsed.

As agents for the FOSSSA election take their time to ensure adequacy in the number of ballot papers available for an accurate and smooth election, the number of ballot papers available were 3,823 after being counted, compared to the acclaimed number which was said to be 3,795 by the Faculty Independent Electoral Committee (FIEC).

For the 18 aspirants available, 2 agents were attached to each, surmounting to a high number of agents at the election centre to see to a fair process. As the election process unfolded, agents were the first set of voters to vote, followed by student delegates.

The last straw that broke the camel's back during the electoral process was the uproar coming from the agents pertaining to the alleged inaccuracy in the number of accredited voters announced by the FIEC, and the total number of ballot papers counted in the presence of all agents.

The situation became worse when the Chairman announced that they will only subtract Sidney (an aspirant for the post of Sport Secretary) from the announced number of total accredited voters to get the result of the other candidate.

UCJ UNILORIN gathered that the total number of accredited voters reported by FIEC was pegged at 2,177, while Sidney's vote as at the time of counting, was 1075, of which when subtracted from 2,177, Khennie's total vote was culminated to be 1,063.

Upon conclusion, and about proceeding to another aspirants post, another uproar was made by an agent who screamed on top of his voice saying, "I am sure this paper is more than the number mentioned, and in this light, Khennie's number of ballots papers must also be counted."

This led to a commotion in the hall as agents requested for clarification of the figures before the counting would continue.

At about 9:09pm, a resolution was made to sort out the winner amidst the aspirants for the office of Social Director to confirm the actual number of the total votes. After a recount, the hall was still in a mishap with the FIEC Chairman and agents disagreeing over a particular figure.

Consequently, the election was suspended at 11:00pm as Student Affairs officials arrived the venue in a van, taking the FIEC Chairman, and the ballot papers with them.

INTERVENTION BY MANAGEMENT

To maintain a free and fair election however, the FOSSSA election, 2017/2018 session has been postponed. However, an unconfirmed source disclosed that the election will be recounted after Jumat today.

As at the time of filing this report, UCJ UNILORIN can confirm that the ballot papers are currently at the Security Unit and will not be manipulated, securities advised. They told  FOSSSAITES to relax as the ballot papers are in safe hand.

According to Mr Bakare, a lecturer of Political Science, FOSSSA election without turmoil is almost impossible, he said this while advising students on Wednesday during manifesto to be calm as not to allow election divide them,  he maintained that election in the faculty of social science has always been rough, still FOSSSAITES should be organised so that the best person emerge the post best for him/her.

Nana Bee,
Rufai Monsurah,

Iwayemi Zainab

UCJ, UNILORIN.