Sunday night’s emergency sitting was filled with anticipation and urgency. By 8 PM, power banks were charged, meals were finished, and every constituency leader and member across all class pages was ready for the showdown. The meeting was initially set to take place via Google Meet at 8 PM. However, the large number of IFUMSA members attempting to join, referred to as “gallerians,” caused severe technical issues. Many honorable members were locked out of the call.
Honorable Ebenezer of the part six class began with an introduction concerning the matters and issues of his constituency. He focused particularly on the petition that prompted the emergency SRB sitting and the agenda for the sitting. He emphasized that his constituency wanted to vote. The honourable stressed the need to preserve their voting rights, warning that these rights could be jeopardized if election plans are not made soon. This is especially true if the parliamentary tenure is extended.
However, many honorable members were still locked out and unable to contribute to the meeting. A second Google Meet link was sent out, but the same issue occurred. Eventually, the house, led by the speaker, decided to move the meeting to Telegram. In the blink of an eye, the Telegram group filled up. Over a hundred medical students joined the voice call, and many more followed the sitting with comments on the Telegram page.
The President’s Appeal for Tenure Extension
Once the initial chaos settled, the speaker gave the floor to the president to present his case. What followed was a lengthy address from the president. He explained that due to time constraints, his administration had been unable to schedule a health week that would accommodate both preclinical and clinical students. He argued that no suitable time had been available to hold the event during his tenure.
The proposed March 2025 Health Week timeline, stated in the call for applications, referred to post-event reports, not the actual event, which was meant to happen in February 2025. The president presented this plan as part of an appeal to extend his tenure.
However, frustration grew as his speech lasted more than 20 minutes. It began to sound more like a monologue than a dialogue. One member, reflecting the sentiment of many, interrupted, asking, “Is the president just reading a speech?” Calls for the Speaker to take control of the sitting grew louder.
Honourable Members’ Rebuttals
Several honourable members then voiced their concerns. This group included Hon. Amarachi, Hon. Oluwafunmilayo, Hon. Miracle, and Hon. Richard and Hon. Tobi from the Part Six constituency. Their main argument was that the president’s reasoning was flawed. They pointed out that there had been no disruptions to the academic calendar. In fact, this had been one of the most peaceful sessions in recent years. They also questioned why the Health Week couldn’t be held earlier.
They cited the constitution, particularly Article VI, Section 72. This article stipulates that “a parliamentary year shall not exceed 12 months, excluding periods of industrial action or disruptions in the academic calendar as determined by the SRB.” They argued that the president’s suggestion to extend his tenure was unfounded. They also noted that IFUMSA’s agreement to host FAMSA was not a sufficient reason to delay the elections. Several members pointed out that the association was a continuum. Programs from previous administrations could always be continued by their successors. They questioned why this situation should be any different.
Intervention by Hon. Bush and Further Scrutiny
Honorable Bush, the President of the Great Ife Student Union (GISU), also weighed in on the discussion. He raised concerns about when the president first considered extending his tenure. He referenced a previous stakeholders meeting held before the GISU election. During that meeting, the president had mentioned concluding his tenure in the first quarter of 2025. This statement further raised concerns about whether the president had been planning the extension for some time.
The questioning continued. One member asked, “When did the house officially pass the date for the health week?” Another stated, “No project should be undertaken without the prior knowledge or approval of the SRB.” Yet here they were, discussing a health week planned for March 2025 without proper authorization. One honourable member pointed out that the president’s “master plan” seemed to be pushing for an extension. However, with the scrutiny he faced, his strategy appeared to be falling apart.
The President’s Response and Growing Opposition
When the president was given a chance to respond, his appeals for understanding were overshadowed by the overwhelming opposition in the sitting. He was asked why the health week could not be held in July. In response, he argued that the last health week took place in November. Hosting another event just six months later, he claimed, would lead to sponsorship fatigue. He suggested that sponsors wouldn’t be willing to fund another event in such a short time frame.
The president expressed his desire for the SRB to allow the executive council to host the health week. He asserted that it was the biggest event of the year. If the SRB would not allow it, then so be it. He also cited the upcoming freshman orientation as a reason for needing more time. He explained that if elections were held in November, the current AGS would not have sufficient time to engage with the new students. However, his explanations were delivered with a raised voice, which did little to sway the honourable members. Many of them commented, “You can’t beg and shout at the same time.”
The speaker then offered his perspective, gotten from consultation with past leaders of the association. He noted that the 12-month tenure referenced in the Constitution is supposed to align with the clinical one class’s calendar year. But emphasized that the decision lay with the SRB members, not historical precedent.
A Constitution Above All
The sitting culminated in a motion to deliberate on suspending that section of the constitution to allow a tenure extension. This required a 4/5 majority. However, not a single honourable member raised the motion, rendering the vote unnecessary.
The SRB members held firm, countering the president’s claims with the Constitution. They asserted that no administration was entitled to a Health Week and emphasized the need to strictly follow the rules to maintain the association’s integrity. They emphasized, “The Constitution stands above your appeal. We put you in power, Mr. President, for our sake—not for your own agenda.” What happens now is simple: let’s have an election. They interpreted the constitution to mean that, as long as there was no strike action disrupting the tenure, school breaks should be viewed as part of the school calendar. These breaks should not be considered a disruption of the academic year. Therefore, the 12-month period stipulated in the constitution begins on the day of the executive council’s inauguration. It ends 12 months later.
In the end, the speaker conceded to the house’s demands, announcing that elections would hold on November 26, 2024, with the new administration sworn in on December 8, 2024.
The Electoral Bill Controversy
With the election date settled, the house moved on to another critical issue. The speaker called on the electoral committee chairman to present his report. Just as the dust settled on the earlier debate regarding the voting rights of part six members, another controversy erupted. This time, the issue stemmed from a newly accepted electoral bill raised by Hon. Pelumi. The bill included a section stating, “Only registered members of the association eligible to vote for SRB representatives will be eligible to vote or be voted for at IFUMSA elections.” Based on this, Hon. Pelumi argued that part six members cannot vote in the upcoming election. She claimed they are ineligible to vote SRB representatives.
Counterarguments and Temporary Resolutions
Hon. Amarachi led the counterargument. She pointed out that even after the bill passed last year, the house agreed that part six members could still vote. And that part one members could not unless they had spent at least three months in the association.
After extensive debate, the house decided to consult the past speaker, Hon. Olunu Daniel. They also sought clarification from the chairman of the electoral bill committee, Hon. Asaolu Peace. They wanted to determine whether last year’s decision was a temporary adjustment or a formal agreement. The speaker reassured the house that the final decision on whether part six members would vote in this year’s election rested with the house. The house subsequently passed the report of the electoral committee chairman. This was done with a few amendments, including a review of form collection prices. However, the issue of part six voting rights was deferred until the next sitting on Saturday at 5 PM.
IFUMSA Executive Council Shifts Health Week to November 2024
Following the SRB’s decision at the sitting, the IFUMSA Executive Council released a statement regarding the timeline for the 37th Health Week. Acknowledging the difficulty of organizing a full Health Week on a tight schedule, the executive council described the SRB’s decision as “a needed push to get back to work.”
After consultations, they announced that the Health Week will take place in November 2024. It will include the 4th Biennial Honour’s Day Ceremony, organized by the IFUMSA Alumni Relations Committee (IARC).Reflecting on recent events, the president emphasized his commitment to “continue to work towards a more united family, regardless of the situation that presents.” In this spirit, the Health Week has been named the “Unity 37th IFUMSA Health Week.”
The president’s dedication to unity was further demonstrated by the surprising announcement of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) members. Among those chosen was Hon. Godswill-Nwankwo Amarachi, who had openly opposed him during the emergency sitting. This unexpected decision suggests a sincere effort to align with the unity theme of the Health Week.
IFUMSA Elections 2024: Key Dates and Nomination Details
Also, the IFUMSA Electoral Committee has outlined the timetable for the 2024 elections, covering nominations, screenings, campaigns, and debates, with the main election to hold on Saturday, November 23, 2024.
Key Dates:
- Nomination Period: October 21 – November 3, 2024 (submission deadline: November 7 at 11:59 pm).
- Screening of Candidates: November 10, 2024, 1 pm, IFUMSA Secretariat.
- Campaign Period: November 11 – November 22, 2024.
- Debate Night: November 21, 2024.Speech Night: November 22, 2024, 1 pm (onsite & online).
- Election Day: November 23, 2024 (online voting from 8 am).
- Swearing-In: December 6, 2024.
Nomination Fees
- President: #5000
- Vice President: #4500
- Other Positions: #3500
- SRB: #2000
- Class Rep: #1500
This is a follow-up report on our earlier release: ‘Another IFUMSA Saga: The Claims, The Clamours, And The Chaos’
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