By Francis Nansak Lafia
Professor Sa’adatu Liman, the Vice Chancellor of the prestigious Nasarawa State University Keffi may not had envisaged under her administration which is less than half a year could be embroiled by contentious issues coming from students of the institution in a manner that is now in public interrogation.
Election of new Executives of the Student union Government that ended inconclusive demand a judicious handling and democratic appendich to the process that produces whoever that got the majority votes, this could be the only means to dause down tension around the university community to permit the exercise of free academic activities.
In this regards the management of the university under the leadership of professor Sa’adatu Liman most eschew the deployment of being bais and the desire to favour a candidate against popular demand through the election process,hand in cap the election which was married by irregularities had been suspended by the authority of the institution to give room for investigation as a committee to that effect is to be set up.
Be that as it may the Vice Chancellor need to be guided by the principles of fairness,justice and equity in order for her tenure to enjoy cohesion from students that will evolve into a peaceful citadel of learning as bequeathed her by her predecessor, professor Suleiman Bala who throughout his five years tenure enjoyed a seamless and hitch free administration.
It was reported that the SUG election was well planned and materials were available for the exercise on time at designated venues ,but midway filtering reactions engulfed the air of irregularities with some influencial personalities that took control of the voting process in favour of a son to a top government official,alleged to had been seen around the school in person.
The election was however put on hold and pronounced as inconclusive.wgen contacted the Dean of Students Affairs ,Dr Yahaya Mohammad told journalists that the election was inconclusive.
And on the other hand ,results collected from department and faculties indicated that for the presidential position Osome Babangida a law student scored 2,677 votes to beat Barade Ahmed that got 2,013.votes.
This has generated uprise among supporters of the two candidates,setting the university complex in disarray,leading to security dispersing students with canisters.
On the part of the university management,the Vice Chancellor expressed displeasure with the SUG and called for calm, while stating that an investigative panel would be set up to unravel the remote causes into the pandemonium that broke out during the SUG election.
However , stakeholders and other concerned citizens have advised that the issue leading to the suspension of the SUG election be articulated and carefully manage against any personal interest in order to guarantee seamless academic activities in the state university
