CONGRESS ELECTS S.U.G ELECTORAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR LAW.

SUPREME LAWSA CONGRESS ELECT FACULTY OF LAW STUDENT UNION GOVERNMENT ELECTORAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE .


Congressmen representing the various constituencies of the Faculty of Law student association (LAWSA) on Monday, 8th of February elected Toritseju Aimufua Peters as the Faculty of Law Electoral Committee Representative. Toju Peters came out victorious over fellow constituency member and former SUG Parliamentarian, Yehoshua Odiase.

The sitting commenced about 5pm and after the normal congress formalities, the agenda was presented before the house and a motion was moved for its adoption. Both contenders for the position were invited to the floor of the house and in the presence of observers announced their various manifestos which they promised to implement if elected.

Yehoshua Odiase.

Toju Peters. 

After being critically questioned by the Congressmen, the election took place in earnest. With the total number of congressmen in sitting being 24, Toju Peters had a clean sweep with 21 votes to Mr Odiase's 3 votes, and he being declared the winner by Mr Speaker, Hon. Nna Victor.

IMPENDING CRISIS?!

A major government crisis and clash of personalities seemed to have been averted during the election of the SUG ELECO representative by Congressmen.

It all started when after the delivering of manifestos but immediately before the election, President Garrick Nosa who was an observer in the proceedings signified that he had an observation he wanted to call the Congressmen attention to. While the Speaker was of the opinion that a sensitive matter (the Election proper) was being handled, observers should wait till it has been handled completely, yet the LAWSA President insisted.
This prompted the Speaker to make comments stating that nobody is above the authority of the House, and also that observations from observers were subject to the descretion of the presiding officer of any Congress session, and again reiterated that observations would be allowed after the election.

After the election and emergence of a winner, the President was allowed to speak and he stated that
There was no constitution or conventional backing for the actions of the congressmen (Election of ELECO representation for the Faculty). He said that he as the President was not informed whether orally or via a document of the intention of congress. President Garrick stated that it was an insult that a matter as deep as the election of ELECO representative of LAWSAns was not communicated to him and he called the actions of congressmen wrong and was fallible on all grounds.

"By convention, whatever issue that has to do with (SUG) ELECO is passed through two individuals in the Faculty of Law, a copy is sent to the LAWSA President and a copy is sent to the Dean. So whatever purpose or anything that has to do with ELECO is done via the office of the President. And any issue that has to do with election, the ELECO Body in the Faculty of Law still subsist until a new ELECO is put into place. Therefore, election for Faculty of Law matters does not reside constitutionally in the Congress body but in ELECO".
However he stated that while his purpose was just to register his distaste on the matter, for the sake of LAWSA moving forward, he would reserve action he previously decided to take and allow the election go forward.


The Speaker, Nna Victor in reply thanked the President and appreciated him for his courage displayed in his final decision. While he pointed that everything the President said could be countered, and it should be noted that the President was not present when the events leading to the elections took place. He however said there was no need to overflog the issue or join issues with Garrick. He thanked him for his decision and reiterated they were all working for the good of, and every decision taken was for the overall benefit of LAWSAns

While the President took his exit some minutes later, he was spotted with the Speaker after the sitting having a discussion.

While no one knows the nature of the discussion there surely would be lingering questions in the minds of LAWSAns as to whether or not there will be another standoff between the executive and the legislative arm in this present dispensation.

Report by Joshua Ogbeide.