UISU 2016: THE HOPEFULS AT A GLANCE

#‎UIDecides‬
‪#‎UISU2016‬

‪#‎PRESIDENTIAL‬ ASPIRANTS

KEHINDE ADEGOKE, ‪#‎K‬-cent A 400l student of the Faculty of Law
and resident of Mellanby Hall, K-cent is contesting for the Students’ Union Presidency for the second consecutive year having lost out in the last year election to Olateju Oladimeji, a.ka.a Ahh speaker. He seemed to be having everything going for him in the last year election until the Zik waves became stronger, and overwhelmed his Revolution movement. This has made him court zikites ever since. In fact, it is said that he has almost neglected the ‘school area,’ his political base for the ‘GRA’ due to the number of votes obtainable in the area. It should be noted he lost in all halls of residence in this area in the last year election. Interestingly, it will be difficult to win an SU election without the electoral supports of these halls.

K.cent political ambition is a side of the coin. His twin brother, Taiwo Adegoke, T.cent, a former SU PRO is the other side. Many believe either of the two could have run for the SU presidency with the same political agenda. It was even said last year that T.cent was merely smoothing the path to the SU presidency for his twin brother during his Infodutainment era as the PRO of the Students’ Union. Some of their detractors used this as a vendetta against K.cent candidature last year, and the brothers had no convincing rejoinder to it. More so, another political pitfall for K.cent in this year election is the candidature of OBJ who is his hall mate. This is a headache to him and his camp.

However, it must be noted that K.cent got the much treasured endorsement of his hall ahead of OBJ, another presidential aspirant from Mellanby Hall.

OJO EMMANUEL ‪#‎NIFEMI‬ is a 400 level student of the department of Agricultural Economics and a resident of Sultan Bello Hall. Although, this would be his first time of eyeing any executive position in the Union, he contested and has held other positions before, especially at the SRC’s level when he was the Chairman, transport committee. He was also a member of the Kunle Adepeju Day Organising Committee last year, a committee he later chaired this year but of which unfortunately, did not see the Kunle Adepeju Day scheduled for last Saturday to hold.

Though, his constituency, Sultan Bello Hall is numerically challenged but the fact that this same hall has produced two SRC Speakers for three out of five assemblies is a strong signal that the hall is stronger than its residents count. The coincidence, that the present Speaker of the 5th Assembly, Rt. Hon. Toheeb Arogundade, coming from his constituency has been noted in some quarters to be a sharp edge ahead of his opponents.

His candidature is seen by some as a blow to another leading candidate, KCENT, who comes from the same political base- school area. Also, judging by both candidates popularity, it is expected that the ‘GRA’ will be the battle grounds.

However, how much support Nifemi will get from these buoyant areas depends on his political dexterity due to the fact that another leading candidate, who is re-contesting began his own political activities in this area before him.

In all, many students believe the ‘Nifemi camp, so far, is the most innovative, original and creative in the entire Students’ Union race as the camp has been responsible for such campaign strategies like Videos, Apps, Comics amongst others. With the way the election is going, some have opined that it will be a “Child-Abuse” situation as ‘Nifemi has the better chance to claim a landslide victory in the presidential race due to all the political heavyweights behind him which include Faculty Presidents and Hall Chairpersons. It is even being rumoured that the Faculty President of his major opponent is also supporting him underground against that opponent.

Though, the stakes are in his favour but the final decision whether UItes want ‪#‎ProjectWork‬ or not will ultimately be decided at the polls.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE 2016

OGELEYINBO BODUNRIN, ‪#‎OBJ‬ is a 400l student of College of medicine. A former Vice Hall Chairman of Mellanby hall, OBJ is however a new face in the SU politics. His candidature is a surprise one, especially to his hall mates who made their feelings known to him by refusing him their endorsement. OBJ, however, is less perturbed about this. He believes he needs more than a hall endorsement to clinch the premier aluta hot seat. It must be said that he was not given a chance when he contested his hall Vice Chairman position. Against all odds, he emerged.

How OBJ will fare in the SU contest remains to be seen. Due to, in part, his perceived lack of charisma required to win followers, and his inefficient political campaign, many do not give him a chance. He also seems to have struck out his hall, Mellanby, as a support base due to his hall endorsing another candidate.

ADEYEMI USMAN AKA ‪#‎OMOOBA‬ is a 300l student of the department of Theatre Arts and a resident of Independence hall. He is a new face in the Union politics; however he comes with the princely mien. Although, his hall has refused to endorse him, Omooba has recourse in history as he makes the long walk to the Union Presidency. It must be recalled that another thespian and Katangite, Babatunde Badmus never got the endorsement of Independence hall when he contested for the SU presidency in the 12/13 session; nonetheless, he emerged as the winner of election.

Omooba, however, has many steep hills to navigate if he is to emerge as the Union president. His not too impressive political campaign strategy has been getting followers lowest attentions. Much is needed to be done as the election draws near. Many also see him as an also-ran candidate, but they could be wrong as elections are decided at the poll.

OTUNLA AKEEM ‪#‎OTUNLA‬, a 400l student of the Agricultural Extension and a resident of Tedder hall is one of the five contestants for the Students’ Union Presidency. Otunla has a date with history on the 16th April, the election date as he strives to emerge against strong odds and permutations.

Otunla strong point seems to be in his not having any political baggage, but it is left to be seen if voters will thump their supports for a perceived ‘not strong’ candidate. He has been going about his campaign rather slowly, and it may take periods after the election before his political movement gets people’s attention.

Another Achilles’ heel for him is the fact that the supposed leading candidates for the post come from the same political base, ‘school area’ as him. He will need more than ‘a name or a date’ to clinch the coveted seat.

#‎VICE‬-PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS

#‎AMANAT‬ IBITOWA, a 300 level student of the department of Sociology and a proud Awoite is not a green horn in UI campus politics and that is partly responsible for the excitement and panic that initially trailed her indication of interest. Never had an emergence of a candidate been accompanied with such sensation and rumpus. The OFFICIAL GROUP OF THE STUDENTS’ UNION, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, a facebook platform, went agog the day some powers-that-be brought forward Amanat Ibitowa as a Vice-Presidential aspirant in the 2016 UISU election.

But beyond the noise and fuss lies a genuine fear of defeat for the Miss bold big and beautiful Amanat Ibitowa. Almost two weeks after the ban has been lifted, no single poster of hers has been pasted anywhere near the school environment. It is however understood she is maximizing the opportunities provided by the social media. But in itself is not wisdom because exploiting the social media is not exclusive to her.

Another genuine fear from her camp is the calibre of people that have endorsed her. Many a UIte believes that it is the same set of caucus that have been recycling themselves in occupying the Kunle Adepeju Union Building. More worrisome is the disturbing character of his campaign manager who was an active campaigner for Huntershola, a prominent member of K-Cent’s campaign team at his first coming, and a close friend of Ahh Speaker.

ADEROJU OKUNSANMI ‪#‎DEROJU is a 300l student of the department of Communication and Language Arts, and a resident of the Queen Idia hall. She was the immediate past Social director of her hall. She is vying for the Students’ Union vice Presidency in a freewheeling Gallant ride. Her ride to the post has generated much dust thus far, even to the point of knocking out the gifted ambition of one of her opponents who comes from the same hall as her.

‘Deroju is one of the leading candidates in this year poll; therefore the almost overbearing limelight she enjoys is understandable. However, her porous campaign strategies, coupled with some perceived character flaws have left her flanks assailable to her detractors. Some think she comes with a lot of baggage, judging from her role in the Zik-Idia: ‘PISS-Dinner and consequences’ saga of last session. Her campaign team, however, has been insisting that was a past event that has been resolved.

What her electoral fate in Zik/Indy hall will be cannot be easily discerned. Nonetheless, pending any die-minute propanganda, it seems ‘Deroju will be coasting home with victory especially with the subtle hint that her biggest opponent may step down for God-know reasons.

#‎GENERAL‬ SECRETARY ASPIRANTS

#‎RAHEEM‬ HAMMED GBOLAHAN, a 300L student of the department of Political Science, Raheem became politically active in his second year when he served as a clerk in Independence Hall Legislative Council. He had also had been a member of the Legislative arm of his hall in the previous session. Many describe him as gentle, cool headed and active. Being the only candidate vying for the General Secretary position from the hall, he was automatically endorsed by his fellow kantagites.

He is said to have a little chance of winning as he is low on popularity. Even the few who know him are oblivious of his agenda. This is a slight on his public relation strategy and a slap on his campaign team. He may have good appeals and very sound programmes, but what can good programmes with little or no publicity fetch at the poll?

However, BOKO and Exergy’s unresolved political enmity may be Raheem’s gains. And so among the three candidates for this position, Raheem’s personality speaks efficiency…

SALAM MUSTAKIM AKOREDE a.k.a ‪#‎Exergy‬ noni to a non-partisan observer is a dogged and resilient aspirant in the forthcoming UI SU elections. But the reality is that he is now the question to the ‘brotherhood’ mantra professed over the years by Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall residents. Mustakim’s decision to still run in the election despite not being endorsed by his ‘constituency’ should be viewed from both sides of the coin – he will not allow the cabals to kill his lofty ambition with theirs and on the other hand, he is seen as a symbol of division in the hall which impetuous decision might cause the Hall their self-acclaimed superiority. Whose decision is right is not within the confines of the writer to decide.

Leaving the issue of his endorsement aside, Exergy seems to have an inclination with the position of General Secretary as he held the position in the immediate past administration of Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall- he must be a lover of minutes writing.
No doubts, he is a good political figure who knows the strings to pull in order to get support for a political position he is vying for. As a candidate in Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall, he worked tirelessly to emerge the winner of the position he vied for, only to go on a long performance recess after his emergence. This is the reason his Hall Press Organisation rated his performance in office below average at the end of his stewardship.

In a not-too-good political situation for Mustakim, he will be battling for his way to the Kunle Adepeju Building like a tilapia fish on the dry land right from his home ground. Fortunately and unfortunately for him, politics is not a game of survival of the fittest in terms of intellectual prowess and programs, but a game of who knows how to manoeuvre his way the best. In this instance, he is both the culprit and innocent.

Truth be told, the storm ahead of Mustakim and his cabals is more than the tempestuous one. But the question is; is it an encountered storm or a self-inflicted one? Only the gods know!

ADEGBOLA OLUWAFEMI, aka ‪#‎BOKO‬, is a 400level student of the Faculty of Law. He was formally an SRC member. He contested the same position in the last year Students Union Election, but lost due to improper and disordered politicking, according to a source close to him.

Owing to the fact that there are two contestants for the post of General Secretary from Zik Hall, Exergy and Boko, there was a need to endorse one in order to have a formidable political network. In this regard, in the stake holders meeting held recently in Zik Hall, Boko was endorsed with twenty votes from the stake holders while Exergy could only get ten votes. This reason for Boko’s endorsement, according to a key member of his team, was based on his contributions to the Hall in time past.

Though he might have been endorsed, he does not seem to be a candidate of the people. For in spite of his endorsement, Zikites are still lusting after Exergy, exhilarating their unfeigned support for him by wearing his low quality shirts.

Furthermore, there was an article purportedly written by Exergy pasted on all the blocks in Zik claiming that Boko has stepped down for Exergy. This article has been digested by many Zikites, especially the freshers. Hence, it will take extra – sugar-coated propaganda for Boko to discredit this ‘misconstrue’ piece and to win back the hearts of fresh students who seemed to have already pledged allegiance of no repentance to Exergy. To worsen the matter for him, it was heard that Exergy has vowed to rather declare his support for the Indy Hall’ General Secretary hopeful; instead of stepping down for Boko.

Let the game continue…The ‪#‎UCJPresidential Debate comes up this Saturday @ the Students’ Union Events Centre by 12.00 noon. Don’t miss it for anything! It’s going to be a ‪#‎War‬ .

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