Mr. Nmoye Israel, popularly known as Cyano, a 400 level student of Dentistry, from the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), has emerged president of the institution’s Students’ Union Government (SUG).
This was on Tuesday 14th February, 2023, as students of the University voted to elect a new set of executive members of the Students’ Union to pilot the affairs of the UNIBEN SUG for the next one year.
Israel polled a total of 3,184 valid votes cast to beat his closest rival and second-time aspirant, Mr. Ogunseri Scott from the Faculty of Physical Sciences, who garnered a total of 2,752 votes to emerge second.
The exercise, which began early hours of the morning across the various polling units at both the Ugbowo and Ekehuan campuses, recorded a good level of turn out even though only registered students who had paid their tuition fee up to date were allowed to vote.
Our correspondent who monitored the voting process, reports that the exercise was relatively peaceful at the various polling units across the two campuses safe for few students who complained that they were not allowed to vote owing to late tuition payment.
The University Management had earlier issued a statement, in line with the electoral guidelines, that only students who paid their tuition fee as at 4pm Monday 13th February, 2023, would be allowed to vote or participate in the exercise.
Meanwhile, it was a tight race for some of the elective offices, especially the Presidency. The election was also full of intrigues and surprises as aspirants for the positions of Vice Presidency and Secretary General enjoyed a ‘last minute miracle’ to beat their leading rivals.
Although, as at the time of filing this report, the winners are yet to be formally announced by the Students’ Electoral Commission, headed by the Dean of Students as Chairman, but results across the 14 faculties have since been declared. The new SUG president is the founder of popular Edo-based lecture house, Gifted Hands.
The victory of the new Students’ Union leaders comes as a ‘special’ valentine’s gift to the winners and their supporters who shunned the lover’s day celebration to exercise their franchise. They are expected to be sworn in soon, followed by elections into the Students’ Representative Council.
Full List of elected UNIBEN 2022/2023 SUG leadership below;
1. President – NMOYE ISRAEL (aka Cyano)
2. Vice President – IDEMUDIA DIVINE
3. Attorney General – GODSWILL AWODIGARI
4. Secretary General – RITA APEJI
5. Assistant Secretary General – OMORUYI CLINTON
6. Director of Finance – EHIS IRABOR
7. Director of Socials – MARCELLUS UCHE
8. Director of Sports – AGHEDO DESTINY
9. Director of Welfare – OKORO ANDREW
10. PRO – KOSI GERALD (UNIBEN JOLLOF)
Some students who spoke to CAMPUS GIST, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the process, while lauding the ELECO for their efforts. They were, however, of the opinion that it was high time the institution started adopting the online voting system as done in other institutions.
