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Thursday 4 August 2016

LAWSA DECIDES 2016!

The Faculty of Law was agog with activities as Law students geared for the sessional LAWSA elections.

The elections were slated to hold on Thursday, the 30th of June 2016.
Candidates however were not cleared and ban on campaign lifted until 28th, having less than 48 hours to campaign openly.

Positions available to be contested for were positions of the
- President (Augustus Ndiyo, Daniel Odigwe, James Uro)

- Vice President (May Edobor, Omo Osifo)

- Secretary General (Wingate Osita, Joshua Okeme)

- Financial Secretary (Ikechukwu Sunday, Precious Onodiama)

- Public Relations Officer (Chuks Obidigbo, Joy Joseph)

- Director of Sports (Ronny Igo - unopposed)

- Director of Socials (Daniel Asikpata - unopposed)

- Assistant Financial Secretary (Juliet Ezeugbor - unopposed)

- Assistant Secretary General (vacant).

ELECTION EVE & MANIFESTO DAY



After the release of the list of cleared candidates at about 4pm 28th of June, there was a mad rush as candidates and supporters took steps to win the election, as tags, flyers and posters were released bearing the pictures, slogans, quips and mantras of aspirants. Supporters worked late into the night and even the early hours of the morning placing posters and devising means of passing the message of their supported candidates.


MANIFESTO

Largely lecture free, evangelists supporters had themselves covered in posters and tags of their preferred candidates and preached their gospels to Lawsans who cared to listen.

The manifesto was scheduled to be held by 12noon, venue was the Faculty of Law L.T 3. Event was hosted by the Lawsa Electoral Commission and anchored by Eleco Chairman, Justice Otabor, of the 500level (Legal Luminaries) class. Candidates came out one by one, from the unopposed Assistant Financial Secretary, Director of Sports, and Director of Socials to the contested positions of the P.R.O, Financial Secretary, Secretary General, Vice President and President, and dazzled the audience with astute oratory, dished out proposals and promises while wooing them to get their votes. Candidates were not alone, as they had the backing of their supporters, who gave their voices and lifted up placard and posters of their candidates screaming their names and chanting their slogans. Manifesto ended with supporters moving in droves and chanting the names of their candidates.












At dusk, Presidential aspirants visited the hostels and various classes to campaign to Law students present.
Meanwhile the ELECO had issued a warning that campaigning should stop at midnight.




ELECTION DAY

Voting commenced at about 11am, as against the 9am start off time earlier announced by eleco at the 100level class and was scheduled to stop at 3pm. Law students came out en masse to vote for their favourite candidates, while ULP spotted some last minute campaigning by enthusiasts, albeit quietly as the ban on campaign was restored earlier in the day. Voting requirement was any form of identification to identify you as a law student.




























SECURITY DRAMA

The election was relatively peaceful, till suspicious persons, rumoured to be cultists were spotted in the Faculty during the elections, causing whispers among electorate,especially as word spread about the presence of a mysterious 'black guy'. Things took a dramatic turn when fierce looking armed UNIBEN Security personnel stormed the Faculty premises, commanding voters to maintain an orderly queue and barking at bystanders not in the queue to leave immediately. They made their way into the voting centre, ULP sources indicate that security personnel were livid with the Eleco as they did not inform security about suspicious presence in the election. Everything eventually was resolved and calm restored.

FINAL YEAR DRAMA


Just when it seemed smooth sail, there was further drama as it was announced that voting would be over by 2pm instead of 3pm earlier announced by the Eleco. This adjustment had adverse effects on most final year students, who having the 3pm deadline in mind did not arrive till past 2pm.
Sources report that the final year students had Law school forms to submit, and did not complete submission till that time, only to be denied the opportunity to vote. This apparently did not go down well with the final year students as they voiced their displeasure loudly at Eleco reps, security personnel stationed in the Faculty and even the staff adviser, Dr Nelson Ojukwu-Ogba. It took the staff adviser to calm their nerves of the FYBs and convince them to let things slide.
Speaking with ULP reporters, one of the FYBs stated that although they were not happy, they had to concur with the staff adviser's request out of respect, and wished the candidates good luck.

RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT

After the drama with security and the FYBs, counting of votes commenced, in private in presence of agents.

While none of the results were announced till the whole counting was over, rumours of results and winners had leaked to the law student populace.

At about 5:20pm, the results were announced by no one else but the outgoing Dean, Professor Richard Idubor (who was to handover the next day to the new Dean, Professor N. Inegbedion), flanked by the staff adviser, Eleco reps and agents. He started first with those candidates who emerged unopposed.

Assistant Financial Secretary - Juliet Ezeugbor.

Director of Socials - Daniel Asikpata.

Director of Sports - Ronny Igo. 

Then he went on amidst suspense to announce the scores and winners of the contested positions, amidst cheers from the supporters of winners and congratulatory gestures towards them.

PRO:
Joy Joseph - 337
Chuks Obidigbo - 236

Financial Secretary:
Precious Onodiama: 304
Ikechukwu Sunday Godwin: 272

Secretary General:
Joshua Okeme: 193
Wingate Osita Uzor: 386

Vice President:
Omo Ehi-Osifo - 180
May Edobor - 397

President:
Augustus Ndiyo - 41
James Uro - 252
Daniel Odigwe - 287 
(with a total of 4 void votes)

The Faculty erupted as the Dean announced the newly elected President. Daniel Odigwe was lifted shoulders high and carried round the faculty in jubilation.
It was a floodgates of backslapping and congratulations and felicitations with the newly elected Lawsa excos especially with the President elect.

DEAN'S PARTING GIFT???

The day did not end without one more surprise for those still present. It so happened that as Prof. Richard Idubor, after announcing the results, proceeded to conduct his 'miniature exam' (aka test) for the 300level students.
On his way, the Dean was mobbed by students, cheering "Our Dean! Our Dean!". Prof. Idubor surprisingly pleased with this unusual show of solidarity deeped his hand into his pocket and gave out cash to the students, handing to directly to the President elect.
While it is unclear how much was handed over, with rumours suggesting up to 5000naira, it was however enough for everyone who cared to take any drink or snack they so desired from the faculty outdoor canteen, in celebration of Daniel Odigwe's (and other elected excos') victory, and also a parting gift from the outgoing Dean.








Report by Josh. 

Photo Credit - Tea me Momoh. 


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