Concerns over the credibility of the ongoing student electoral process at the University of Ibadan have emerged following allegations of voter manipulation at Kuti Hall of Residence.
Multiple students have raised alarms over what they describe as coordinated attempts to influence voting outcomes during the election. According to reports obtained by this reporter, messages were circulated in hall-based WhatsApp groups directing students on how to vote, specifically instructing them to press “void” against a particular candidate.
Screenshots from the group conversations, seen by this reporter, show a forwarded message urging students in Kuti Hall to invalidate their votes against a named aspirant. One message read, “Please, tell them in Kuti to press Void for Bade.” The directive sparked backlash among students, with some openly condemning the act as undemocratic.
Beyond online communication, students further alleged that individuals went from room to room on the morning of the election, allegedly issuing verbal instructions on who to vote for and who not to vote for. This, according to concerned students, compromises the principle of free choice that elections are meant to uphold.
Reacting to the development, a student described the process as “a selection rather than an election,” expressing frustration over what they termed blatant interference in the voting process.
“Telling people who to vote for or instructing them to void a candidate is wrong in every manner,” a source said, stressing that such actions undermine the integrity of student democracy.
As of the time of filing this report, no official statement has been released by the electoral committee or relevant hall authorities addressing the allegations.
