Every tenure must come to an end at some point, and the President Akinola Beloved-led “Capacity” administration is no different. Barely a month of tranquillity after the frenzy of the recently held IFUMSA Health Week, our sights are now set on the next IFUMSA elections. The IFUMSA elections is a highly anticipated event of the OAU med school cycle — an event that gives interested individuals the opportunity to serve in the corridors of power — Greenhorns and veteran student-politicians alike.
The virtual flyers all over social media platforms, pictures of candidates wearing stern or beaming faces, the coaxing speeches of candidates and their persuasive campaign managers and the mudslinging by overenthusiastic supporters are just a few of the dramas we anticipate in this period.
The lifting of the campaign ban by the Student Representative Body is the first highlight of this year’s electoral event. This means that prospective candidates are now free to canvass for support, and ultimately, the votes of the medical student populace. The time window for the sales and submission of nomination forms for prospective candidates has also been slated from July 7 to July 15, allowing them to make their intentions official.
The screening of candidates will hold three days after the deadline of the sales and submission of nomination forms (July 18). The electoral committee will interview prospective candidates and ultimately validate (or invalidates, whatever the case may be) their candidacy. The event will take place at the IFUMSA secretariat, behind closed doors, at 3 pm. Following this will be a forum for awareness of the constitution with the SRB on July 20.
Press confrontation will follow three days after the screening on July 21, at HSLT A from 5 pm till 7 pm, where press members will question candidates. Some have argued that the underrepresentation of candidates by the press has partly influenced the results of previous elections. Therefore, in a bid to level the playing field, so to say, MediVoice has decided to project all candidates to the public “equally” this year, as it should be — the “big guns” and the “underdogs” alike.
All roads lead to HSLT C on July 22 for the manifesto night, arguably the juiciest and most dramatic event on the electoral timetable. Candidates will receive the opportunity to table their offers before the electorate present in teeming numbers amidst the interjective chants of their supporters and the jeers of the opposition — the time, 4 pm to 7 pm. Students are urged to come around for this event.
Election day, the major event on the electoral timetable will hold on July 23, 2021, commencing by 8 am. The venues are the College of Health Sciences, Gloryland Hostel, and OAUTHC. Voters will come around to cast their votes amidst a serene ambience and in an orderly fashion. This is an event that often lasts the whole day.
After votes have been counted and the winners have been announced, the swearing-in of new officials will most likely take place on August 5 2021 — the perfect wrap-up of an administration that has arguably outdone its predecessors on many fronts.
In between the days for the general elections and swearing-in, the different classes will also be electing their SRB members ahead of the next parliamentary year.
While the medical student populace will have their fingers crossed for the highlights of this period, MediVoice will be present all the way, bringing you undiluted news as it unfolds — as usual. You can always count on us. Stay tuned!
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