Concerned UEW students issue a statement in response to the SRC's unwillingness to recognize the constitution and decisions made by the SRC Electoral Commissioner.
Below is the press statement;
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DISREGARD OF THE CONSTITUTION AND C.I 22 ORDERS BY THE SRC ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER EUGENE LARYEA ODAI.
Good Day, Colleague Students and Friends,
We bring you warmest greetings from the coalition of UEW concerned students.
We can no longer keep mute over the incessant disregard for our mighty constitution and the provisions established in it which at all times must guide the conduct of our council.
We surely are not hungry enough, or maybe we have not shown enough interest in the dirty politics that goes around in our SRC. For if we were, at no point will it happen that the EC has shown blatant disregard to our constitution and orders, but then there is no one to call him to order.
We will want to say again that we are acutely aware of the petition signed by some 150 students to have the Speaker invoke an emergency LA meeting so the eels of the EC can be corrected, but as of now, the Speaker is undecided to act because of the serious elbowing from the SRC president traveling to all lengths. Do not be surprised, we have noted with concerns the bad bargain of the amount that should be given to the Speaker to prevent him from calling for the emergency meeting.
We want to call on all LA members, students and friends and all those who want to see the right thing done to speak and act in the common interest of our council.
30/08/2022
Below are the breaches of the constitution and orders by the Electoral Commission;
i. Article 32 clause 1(I) states, " All nomination forms shall be received from the Dean/Vice Dean of Students Affairs". Contrary to this, nomination forms were received from the SRC Electoral Commission. (Check C.I. 22). This is inconsistent with and a breach of the provision of the 2018 Revised SRC Constitution and must be amended accordingly.
ii. Contrary to the C.I 22 and a release from the EC with reference: SRC/EC/21- 22/004, the EC sold and received nomination forms after the stipulated time period. We believed, this biased and erroneous action of the Electoral Commission compromised the credibility of the electoral process and gave unfair and unequal chance to some “few system favourite Aspirants”
iii. Contrary to the SRC calendar approved by LA, which mandates the vetting committee to declare its vetting results and lift the main ban on 20th September, the committee rather did so on 23rd September. This is a blatant disrespect to the LA and the SRC constitution. we believe this unlawful and discretional action of the Vetting Committee undermines the powers of the Local Assembly
provided in Article 8 clause 2(i) of the 2018 Revised SRC Constitution.
iv. The EC without recourse to any applicable laws in any communique with Ref. SRC/EC/21-22 has arbitrary directed for the postponement of 2021/2022 elections. This is contrary to the SRC Electoral Calendar as approved by the Local Assembly, the highest decision making body of the SRC. The decision of Electoral Commission we believe has caused an irreparable damage to the various JCRC, Departments’ Associations Electoral Commissions, Candidates/Aspirants and the entire students body.
We believe the Electoral Commission’s actions and inactions have brought the image of our council into damage and disrepute and so must be summoned before the SRC Local Assembly.
Signed.
Concerned Students of Uew.
Check The Screenshots of the Statement Below;
