IFUMSA 2023 Elections: How It All Went Down, PRO-Elect Steps Down

On the evening of November 25, 2023, the Chairman of the IFUMSA Electoral Committee, Tobi Tunwase, announced Temitayo Femi Matthew as the winner of the 2023 IFUMSA Executive Election result. When inaugurated, he will chair an executive council comprising other winners in the election including Ezembu Victoria as Vice President, Ajao Oluwatimileyin as Assistant General Secretary, Oladimeji Afeez as Welfare Secretary, Amarachi Godswill-Nwankwo as Public Relations Officer, Mustapha Beauty as Treasurer, and Adeleke Stephen as Director of Sports. 

READ ALSO: 47th Convocation: 158 bag First Class as OAU graduates 7,986

An analysis of the electoral result reveals that out of the 663 registered voters, 511 cast their votes, marking a turnout of 77.1%. Across the offices of the President, Assistant General Secretary, and Welfare Secretary, where the election was keenly contested, Temitayo polled 300 votes to defeat Atoyebi Evelyn who had 200 votes, Oluwatimileyin polled 197 votes to defeat Akinyemi Favour and Arowoshola Esther who polled 172 and 124 votes respectively, and Afeez polled 270 votes to defeat Oladipupo Ayomipo who polled 227 votes. For the uncontested positions, Victoria had 489 votes, Amarachi had 463 votes, Beauty had 466 votes, and Stephen had 487 votes to win their elections. 

VOTERS REGISTRATION

At the close of registration, data from the electoral committee revealed the Part 3 Class had the highest voting strength of 122, followed by the New Part 4 Class with 115, then the Part 2 Class with 111, Old Part 4 Class with 110, Part 5 Class with 99 and Part 6 Class with 106 voters.

Some IFUMSaites were unable to vote on Election Day. On Election Day, Adeusi Israel was unable to vote because he did not receive a voting code despite repeatedly refreshing his mail..

READ ALSO: SRC Addresses Moremi Hall Security Issues, Constitutes Security Committee

Speaking with ACJOAU correspondent, he expressed his disappointment that he couldn’t vote for the candidate of his choice, according to him, he didn’t get any voting codes, even though he had complained to the electoral committee member attached to his class, Lawal Sheriffden in the hope that the situation would be rectified but alas it was not. 

However, Sheriffdeen while commenting on the whole issue said ‘Everyone was sent their codes and had the chance to vote’. On the peculiarity of Israel’s situation, he said he didn’t get the code because ‘he didn’t register at all’

READ ALSO: IFUMSA Election Debate: Contestants Make Promises, Announce Plans

Speaking further on the matter, the electoral committee chairman, Tobi Tunwase said ‘We first opened the registration forms for maybe two weeks officially, but we have been doing that unofficially for around maybe two weeks earlier. So everything, the whole registration process went on for like a month. And then after we closed down the registration portals, we gave a grace of a few hours, I think. Almost a day. A lot of classes had a few more numbers, especially the old part four class and then the part five class, maybe a couple more people were added like 10 people in each class. Everybody who registered and dropped their correct email address got their voting codes on Wednesday but those who didn’t were those who either didn’t drop their correct email addresses or misspelled their names, we asked those people to reach out to us and we sent their voting codes personally and manually’.

PART 6 CLASS VOTERS APATHY

There was notably a 23% reduction in the number of registered voters and the number of those who voted. This, the chairman attributed to voter apathy from the recently inducted Part 6 class.

“I would say it is probably because the part six guys, the part six class are already done, you know, with medical school. They will be inducted tomorrow(as of the time of this interview), So at the time we had the election, which was just Saturday, a lot of them did not feel any reason. They didn’t have this motivation to be involved. Like that, they felt like, OK, they were almost going. Why should they care? So many of them in that class didn’t vote in part six. And despite that, we were still able to have 73% participants in the election.”

DELAYED COMMENCEMENT OF VOTING

Apparently, in the early hours of Saturday morning, voters were thrown into confusion when the election which was slated to begin by 9 am didn’t start until 10 am. Enthusiastic voters took screenshots of the voting portal around 9:34 am with it displaying ‘Not yet time for the election, 25 minutes to go’ despite a previous broadcast from the committee announcing that the election would commence by 9 am.

ICYMI: OAU Wins 2nd IFUMSA InterCollegiate Quiz Competition

In his class group, Sunday Akinloye, seeing the election as not commencing at 9:20 am, attributed it to ‘African time’ and when it had still not commenced at 9:32 am remarked that it was ‘tending towards American time”.

 In defense, Tobi Tunwase said this was due to the unpunctuality of the agents of the contestants.  ‘The election was slated to start at 9 am, but the agents who were supposed to be present in the situation room on Election Day were not available on time and we wanted to have a good number of them before we opened the voting portal so every agent could see the process from the start. Although we also had some issues with the projectors, as at 9 am, only two agents were in the situation room’

BREAKING HISTORICAL PATTERNS

In becoming the President after the election, Temitayo broke the age-long jinx of only penultimate-year students becoming the President of the association. Although the past five Presidents of the association had been 500 level-going-to-600-level students, on Saturday the tide turned as IFUMSAites voted Temitayo as their new President.

READ ALSO: Management Tells Moremi Queens To Remain Calm Amidst Male Intrusion

Ojo Oladipo, a 400-level student, and Campaign manager for Temitayo attributed their electoral victory to the track record of excellence that his candidate displayed in previous positions he has held. He said ‘The particular contributor to us winning the election for me is just the superiority of ideas. His ability to provide the solutions we need in the association at this time to the problems facing us at this time. More importantly, the excellent track record of a candidate as AGS, then his work profile across IFUMSA, NIMSA, and the International Federation of Medical Center Association, IFMSA’.

ON THE AGS ELECTION

Of all the results of the election, perhaps the most surprising was that of the AGS election. The contest, which many IFUMSAites had opined to be a dual contest affair between Timi and Esther, took a new twist with Favour climbing up to second position to the surprise of many.

On how she achieved such a feat, Favour said ‘I think it is mostly due to the way I approached people. I approached people the way I would want to be approached and it moved a lot of hearts. I also didn’t lose any chance to showcase my love and passion for that office. There was a lot I wanted to do for IFUMSAites. I could have pushed more with my offline publicity that was something that I am sure cost me some votes. Especially frequently visiting Gloryland where the clinical students reside’.

READ ALSO: WAUG 2023: OAU Sports Complex Undergoes Facelift

On the other hand, Esther, speaking on what she could have done better concerning the election said ‘Thinking about it now, I could have done better with reaching out to my senior colleagues’.

COST OF THE ELECTION

With the election a keenly contested affair, and the candidates needing to expend more resources and time than their opponents, concerns were raised about the cost of the election.  Although the form for the office of the President was the most expensive which was 4000, the AGS, Welfare Secretary, Financial Secretary, Public Relations Officer, Treasurer, and Director of Sports each had to pay 2500. According to a release from the electoral committee candidates had to spend money on publicity and campaigning to bring their message to the ears of IFUMSAites. 

According to Eniafe Favour, she was only able to cope because of support from her parents. ‘I would say it was constraining financially at first but I had the backing of my parents and they were quick to…,” she further stated, ‘It is safe to say I have recuperated. No time to waste, my anatomy is waiting for me. For now, I’m focusing on my writing job because if money goes, money must come’.

ICYMI: EFCC Invasion: We Want To Know The End Before We Issue Any Release – OAU Management

Similarly, Esther decried the pressures of the election, adding that she is glad that everything is over now. ‘Election period is usually taxing in every form. It stretched me a lot but I’m glad it’s over now’. she said.

On the other hand, Dipo belittled the cost of the election, saying that the election was not so constraining on their part as a team, but would prefer if the debate and manifesto night could be streamlined into a single event. ‘It wasn’t so constraining. Academics, finances, no, not at all, the debate night and manifesto night, these two events are, I won’t say needless, but if there is a way they can make it one and far better engaging, instead of duplicating the two events to properly engage in two,” he said.

However, this is contrary to statements from the candidate himself who has repeatedly decried the closeness of the election and his inauguration with his exams.  In an interview with MediVoice, the news and literary arm of the association, speaking on the first month of his tenure if elected, he said ‘It is difficult to say because I’d be writing the almighty Path and Pharm MB within my first month in office’.

READ ALSO:Put The Experience Behind – OAU Management Finally Breaks Silence On Students Arrest

Also, in his acceptance speech, he said ‘I am grateful for the million messages, calls and social media posts which I (may) not have replied to at the time you’re seeing this. I ask that you kindly bear with me as I walk through the final days of the dreaded path and pharm class with tons of exams to write”

PRO-ELECT STEPS DOWN

With all executives-elect sending their appreciation and acceptance messages, including the PRO-elect, things took a new turn on Friday when she announced that she is ‘stepping back’ from the position. 

Earlier on the 26th, she indicated her acceptance of the position in a release from her. 

‘My commitment to serving you has remained unwavering, the only thing that has changed has been the offices and the platforms you gave me, you have spoken, I have listened and by God’s grace, I will deliver’

Also in a release co-signed by all executives including her, on the 30th, she said ‘We wish to appreciate you all for your vote and support. We are grateful for your trust in us and remain committed to serving you to the best of our abilities’.

However, on Friday, she backtracked from her new position, explaining her stance in a news release posted on the General Publicity Page of the faculty. ‘Sadly, for personal reasons, I find myself compelled to step back, a decision I’m making with a heavy heart’, she said.

Around Campus: Budget Hearing: Great Ife SRC Approves Over 1 Million For The Office Of The President

On why she initially accepted the position and why she is stepping back now, she said ‘The decision to step down was a very difficult one. And as much as I would love to give all the details, I’m currently in a place where I’m trying to overcome the many challenges that led to my decision so I can’t talk much’.

Her decision to step down has been met with a lot of support from IFUMSAites, as over 35 students have reacted with positive emojis to the release announcing her decision to step down, as a means of showing support and solidarity with her. 

FREE AND FAIR ELECTORAL PROCESS

The seamless voting experience facilitated by the efforts of the electoral committee didn’t go unnoticed by the contestants with many giving kudos the the electoral committee.

Commending himself, and the efforts of his team, Tobi Tunwase said this election is arguably the most peaceful he has witnessed in medical school.

‘I would say it is one of the most peaceful. election that I have witnessed since I have been in medical school. Although, you can not expect that an election will go by and there won’t be some propaganda. And I mean, it all comes with the election but overall, the election was peaceful. And I think it’s as a result of the fact that we’ve learned a lot of lessons, both as the electoral committee and as IFUMSAites. And it showed in the way this particular election went.’

According to Ojo Oladipo, ‘The whole election went peacefully. So it’s nice. The Electoral Committee did fairly well’. However, he would like that in future the electoral committee to ‘do a breakdown of the results according to the classes. I think that is very important so the candidates can reflect better on the results. So that candidates, or potential candidates can plan better in the future for the elections’.

Great Ife Students’ Union Provides Free Bus To Convey Students On Campus

Favour, on her part, enjoyed the election process, thumbing up the electoral committee for a job well done. She said, ‘The election was a very fair one. A huge thumbs up to the electoral committee, they went all out to ensure a credible result. It’s weird to say I enjoyed the electoral process since I lost but I did. I met a lot of beautiful people during the process with their kind words and interest in my campaign’.

Esther similarly commended the peacefulness of the election. ‘I believe that the electoral committee did their best in ensuring a free and fair election. The election was a peaceful one and IFUMSAITES have made their choice. It was an insightful experience. I learned a lot during the campaign. We win some and we lose some. My plans for the remainder of this year are to round off my tenure in other offices I hold. This one was just one of the losses. However, there will always be greater things to do’, she said.