by Oluseun Fatope
A cloud of constitutional infractions and procedural opacity hangs over the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and the Executive Council of the University of Ibadan Student Union following the controversial conferment of honorary membership on Hon. Adedeji Odidiomo, the Oyo South Senatorial Candidate for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
The controversy erupted following a high-profile visit by members of the parliamentary leadership, the Rt. Hon. Oludele John, members of the Parliament, Hon. Oluwadunsin Adebiyi, AFAS FLC Speaker, Hon. Agboola Sam, NUESA FLC Speaker, the House Secretary, Tifase Oluwatimilehin, and accompanied by a former UISU House Secretary, Hon. Jesugbemi, to the politician, during which Hon. Odidiomo pledged a staggering sum of ₦50 million towards a Legislative Summit, an event now slated to be named the “Odidiomo Students’ Legislative Summit.” Images from the encounter showed the politician draped in official union paraphernalia, signalling a formal bestowment of honorary status.
However, inquiries by the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan (UCJUI) aimed at establishing the constitutional legitimacy of the gesture have met a brick wall of silence. Neither the Speaker of the SRC nor the Students’ Union President offered official responses when pressed to clarify whether due process was observed, or to outline the specific achievements that qualified Hon. Odidiomo for such an honour.
Constitutional provisions governing the University of Ibadan Students’ Union leave little room for ambiguity regarding the conferment of honorary membership. According to Article III, Section 1(b) of the Students’ Union Constitution, the SRC may confer honorary membership on an individual strictly by reason of their demonstrated interest in student and academic matters, particularly as they relate to the Union and the University. The statute explicitly dictates that such conferment must be executed through a formal motion supported by a two-thirds majority of SRC members present and voting at a special meeting, followed by the award of an official certificate signed jointly by both the Union President and the Speaker.
Applying this constitutional benchmark reveals a total misalignment between statutory requirements and the leadership’s actions. Beyond the procedural breach, there is no public record or parliamentary documentation establishing that Hon. Odidiomo possessed any history of active involvement or sustained interest in UI student affairs before the announcement of his ₦50 million pledge. The constitution explicitly designs honorary membership as a recognition of prior, track-record service to the student body rather than a bargaining chip for prospective political donations.
Findings gathered directly from ordinary members of the parliament confirm that no sitting ever took place to evaluate the politician’s contributions or vote on his candidature. No motion was presented on the floor of the House, no debate was conducted, and no vote was cast.
By draping the politician in union paraphernalia outside the parliamentary chamber in exchange for financial backing, the parliamentary leadership did not merely skip a procedural vote. They circumvented the constitutional safeguard meant to protect union honours from becoming transactional, effectively prioritising a financial inducement over legislative accountability and neglecting their primary duty to report back to the very House they represent.
Editor note: UCJ reached out to both the SRC Speaker and SU President but had not received any response as of press time.
