By–Olatunji Haleem
Rt. Honorable Onifade Abdul-Rahman Bello has emerged as the Speaker of the 6th Assembly of the Students Representative Council of the Students’ Union in the University of Ibadan.
This was in reaction to the In-House election held during the first sitting of the Council on 25th June 2016.
The winner of the election contested among two other candidates, Hon. Oyegunle Paul and Hon. Akuma Joseph. While the new Speaker had 58 votes, Hon. Oyegunle Paul and Hon. Akuma Joseph had 23 and 32 votes respectively.
In an interview with UCJUI correspondent, Rt. Hon. Onifade Bello expressed his gratitude to the house for the mandate granted to him. However, he expressed his concern over the fracas which occurred in the House after he claimed victory.
“I am fully indebted to the council, for the mandate that they have given to me. Meanwhile the status quo is not very gladdening and as such,I would say I am ambivalent now. I am not glad and I am not sad. When the time is right, I will come out with the real state of how I feel”, he said.
Speaking briefly on the expectations of Uites in his administration, the representative from Independence Hall constituency said Uites should expect him to put into action, all he had said during his manifesto as he added that he looked up to God and members of the Council in order to achieve the goal of his administration.
He said, “the expectations of people from my administration should be based on the promises I made in my manifesto and I pray by God’s grace that I will be able to fulfill them with the support of the members of the Council.”
He pleaded that Honourables should see the Council as a place where deliberations on the progress of the Union are made and they should try to let go of conflicting interests so that the Union can move forward.
Regarding the information of some students’ leaders move against the N2,000 basic due, the Speaker said that, “the letter the council received is a piece of advice. When we are able to resolve the issue at hand, the Council of Faculty President and the Council will agree to come together and harmonize our differences and ensure that the outcome will be in favor of all Uites who have voted for them and voted for us as well.”
