UNIABUJA Commence The SUG Elctoral Race

The universty of abuja has just commenced the SUG electoral race.

As the current uniabuja SUG EXCOS are preparing to graduate from the institution, so also are aspirants working towards replacing the vacant SUG EXCOS Seats.

Students Union Government:-

The University recognizes the need for students to organize themselves into a central association for many reasons including: It simply runs on the line of democratic principles to allow students have a voice in a community to which they belong.

It eases up the process of aggregating the necessary inputs from students on matters that affect them rather than have a situation where every student speaks for himself/herself.

It provides a framework for students who appreciate the underpinnings of students requests to guide the administrative as partners in progress.

It brings the students to serious position where they become partners with the sintitutions administration in problem solving instead of remaining, all the time, on the side of merely identifying the problems.

It makes the students take on the
responsibility of acting as checks on the activities of their colleagues.
This central association is usually referred to as the Students Union Government (SUG).

In the University of Abuja, Abuja, there are two arms of the SUG, The Executive and the Legislative arms.

The Executive arm is
undoubtedly the spokes organ for the students, with the Legislative being more concerned with general and internal oversight functions for the
executive arm.

Students Union Government
Elections

One of the most difficult mandates of Student Affairs department is the duty to conduct elections into the various elective offices of the Students Union Government (SUG).

In the preceding section, we raised the issue of nurturing and managing the Students Union Government arising from the fact that these young, energetic and promising leaders are also exuberant, adventurous and slightly undiscerning in their age.
Otherwise, why should the Student Affairs department be charged with the onerous responsibility of conducting elections into elective positions of the SUG? Some institutions have tried to allow students conduct their own elections with awkward results. The outcome of
this experiment, but for one or two cases have been largely disastrous in most respects hence the Students Affairs department is still charged
with this function in the University of Abuja,
Abuja.

Procedure:-

An electoral committee comprising of both staff and students is constituted by the University administration with the Dean of Students as Chairman.

The committee is in charge of all
aspects of the election including:

Setting the time table for the elections

Nomination of Candidates
-Screening of Candidates
-Stating the guideline and period for
campaign by Candidates
-Organizing the presentation of manifesto by Candidates
-Organizing the voting proper, counting the votes and
-Declaration of the results

To qualify as a legitimate candidate in the election, most institutions insist among other things, on some or a combination of the following:

Candidate must have spent at least one full session in the institution
Candidate must not be a member of a
secret cult Candidate must have a cumulative Grade Point average of at least 3.5 The candidate must have been a registered student for the current session It is during the screening of candidates that the committee crosschecks the claims stated by a candidate with his/her form and makes a pronouncement on whether a candidate is qualified to run for office or not. Security agents also largely assist the University with information on any candidate membership/non-membership status to a secret cult.

This step has been useful to the University but has caused certain problems for others Universities in circumstances where the agencies have been compromised by interests.

After the screening, the list of qualified
candidates is published and the temporary restrain on any form of campaign is lifted. The University limits the type/features of campaigns
that candidates would be involved in, including the use of colored posters or organizing a motorcade. The campaign usually terminates between 12-24 hours before voting commences, with the presentation of a written or oral manifesto before the voters.

Voting may be organized in a general polling center, or in designated polling centers using Faculties and Departments as the basis for delineation. After voting, counting of votes and announcements of the results, the committee becomes functus officio and all complaints
arising from the conduct of the elections now go to an Election Tribunal constituted by the administration to review the activities of the Electoral Board.

The current practice mandates that no officer-elect whose election is being challenged at the Electoral Tribunal should be sworn into the office before a verdict is given by the tribunal.

The tribunal is given2 weeks to conclude its sessions, findings and conclusions.

Source:- From the uniabuja Cportal

Compiled by:- Mr Ejump