In the heat of politics, it is not unusual for propaganda and various agendas to fly left, right, and center. However, when the issue concerns the integrity of the electoral process, it is only right that clarity is sought in good faith.
In the early hours of Sunday, 16th February 2025, a screenshot circulated on several WhatsApp groups. The screenshot showed a slide from the WhatsApp status of Mr. Olaniyi Sodeeq, popularly known as “Principal,” a former UI’SU General Secretary and the current Chairman of the Logistics Committee of the UI Students’ Union Electoral Commission (SU’EC).
The screenshot allegedly displayed a campaign flier of a presidential aspirant, Mr. Joy ‘SANJAY,’ on Principal’s status, and was interpreted as an electoral officer using his position to endorse a candidate, which was seen as foul play.
“It was not meant to be with a political undertone” — UISU Electoral Committee Member says he Mistakenly Campaigned for ‘SanJay’
Audi alteram partem, a legal maxim, encourages to always listen to the other side so that good judgement can be delivered. In line with this, UCJ reached out to Olaniyi Sodeeq to obtain his side of the story about the screenshot.
Responding, Principal as he is fondly called acknowledged the authenticity of the screenshot, clarifying that it was an honest mistake. He explained that he hadn’t posted the image, but rather it was a still frame from a video he had screen-recorded from someone’s status. “Immediately I saw it, I took it down. It was not meant to be with a political under tone.”
In his statement, Olaniyi Sodeeq explained that he had a conversation with someone earlier that Sunday and posted the video as a meme reply to express his mood on his WhatsApp status. The video, which he claimed he had screen-recorded over two weeks prior, inadvertently included the screenshot. He attributed the mistake to the nature of iPhones and the fact that his phone didn’t display the last frame of the video when posting. As soon as he was alerted to the mistake by numerous messages, he promptly took down the post, reiterating that it was an honest mistake.
Olaniyi Sodeeq emphasized that his actions shouldn’t be seen as endorsing any candidate, given his experience in both legislative and executive roles, as well as his current position in the electoral commission. He stressed the importance of neutrality for electoral officials.
Olaniyi Sodeeq also confidently stated that SU elections can’t be influenced by anyone, and that the outcome solely depends on the voters’ decisions. He assured that if a candidate wins, their victory is secure and can’t be taken away.
To support his claims, he provided video evidence.
Issues Beyond the Controversy
Considering this, although some have called for the Logistics Committee Chairman resignation, the legal principle of onus probandi dictates that, in the absence of overwhelming proof of foul play from the accusers, upon whom the burden of proof lies, we must in good faith consider that Mr. Principal may have simply made a human mistake. Whether Principal committed an honest mistake or made a dubious move — which will be left for posterity to judge — the current issue raises other genuine concerns.
The concern about former union officers serving on the electoral committee is notably valid. It is natural to worry that these characters complex interests and experience as “players in the game” could compromise their impartiality as “umpires.” The fact that SUEC members aren’t screened and approved by the UI’SRC before commencing their work, raises concerns. This, along with other actions over the years, highlights the need for better oversight of the SUEC’s activities and constitution, which is essential for a proper democracy, unfortunately lacking in the University of Ibadan Students’ Union.
In conclusion, while only the ‘goddess of natural and divine law and justice’ might be able to establish guilt against Principal — as we must accept in good faith that he may have simply made an honest error. Moving forward, electoral officials, due to the sensitive nature of their office, must be more mindful of their public output and minimize errors born of negligence. Furthermore, the other issues raised in this article warrant consideration from relevant authorities, particularly the UI’SRC.
• This feature is part of a special series on the dynamics of the 2025 Students’ Union Election by the Union of Campus Journalists under its Election Watch Room Initiative.
