"I'm Not A Loser As Long As I Did Not Lose To BHF"- D'Erudite

LASUSU 2016 ELECTIONS:THE APOGEE OF CAMPUS POLITICS

      The Lagos State University Students' union election was held on the 23rd of February;2016. The election ended several months of politicking and drama.  19 candidates contested for 7 positions in the students' union. Three had already emerged unopposed. Throughout the electioneering process, the tussle among the Presidential candidates was the centre of attention.  The aspirants namely- Adebanjo Adekoya(Popularly referred to as  D-ERUDITE), Balogun Hammed Funsho(BHF) and Sekoni Taofeek Tayo(Widely known as TAYOUR) deployed all means to achieve victory. Although, the latter emerged victorious, polling  930 out of the total 1,875 votes, the story behind his victory and his opponents loss is quite phenomenal. 

Adebanjo Adekoya is a 500-level law student of the Lagos State University. He is the immediate Public Relations Officer of Lagos State University Students' Union. With an imposing stature, Adekoya,popularly referred to as D-Erudite is very eloquent and his use of English could sway a hundred students to his side  at a go.  His perceived  fiercest opponent was his class mate,Balogun Hammed Funsho. BHF is also a 500-level law student. He is a two-time Speaker of the Lagos State University Students' Parliamentary Council(SPC). BHF is the most cunning and resourceful of the trio. With an alleged campaign budget of over 2million naira,BHF had more than enough to finance his political ambition. The personal tussle between these two potential Barristers began even before the electioneering campaigns started. Attempts by the duo to persuade the other to step down ended in deadlock. The rain will surely water the grass, the students' will surely decide through their votes. This made D-ERUDITE and BHF to massively increase the number of their followers and loyalists. As far back as 6months to the election, BHF attended virtually all events on campus dishing out cash and gifts to students. During an event organised by the SUG in July,2015 to end the First Semester, BHF gave out 10,000naira gift to a student dancer(AUSTIN), among other several financial and airtime gifts. D-ERUDITE, then the P.R.O of the SUG, knew the match had started before the whistle was blown.
     
Emerging from obscurity was a gentle man of little words albeit track records. Sekoni Taofeek Tayo who then was a 300-level student of Psychology, served as the President of Faculty of Social Sciences while BHF and ERUDITE locked horns before the electoral committee was even formed. Tayo, who apparently had conceived the dream of becoming the 26th Students' union President worked very hard to execute various projects in his Faculty. The reason for this is not far fetched,Tayo knew if he is to emerge as the next LASUSU President, then he must leave a foot print as a Faculty President. The tussle between BHF and ERUDITE plus the hegemony of Faculty of Law, made Tayo to utilize the CHANGE mantra of APC. In his earliest campaigns on campus, he would scream "Agent of CHANGE" while his teeming followers would shout "TAYOUR NI OO". It all began like a joke, as many initially saw him as an underdog,who can't stand against the power,influence and popularity of the law duo of ERUDITE and BHF. However, as the clock ticked, so did the political popularity of Tayo grew. He was obviously going to be a wedge, this made ERUDITE to make overtures to Tayo, to step down for him. Although new to the reality of LASUSU politics, Tayo turned down ERUDITE'S proposals. The poll would decide. While all these were going on, BHF had plethora of strategies, structured around his powers as the SPEAKER of the Students' union. Prior to the election, constitutionally, anybody who wants to contest for any position, must resign from his/her present position. This was the first ice to break for BHF. A Congress was subsequently called, where the constitution, after so many shenanigans, was amended and aspirants were now allowed to maintain a position while they sought after another. The smoke surrounding the conduct and subsequent resolution of the congress led to uproar, and  petitions. A petition filed by a former SUG President, Nurruden Temilola Optimist against Mr BHF vis-à-vis the congress ended up in a court case between the duo. Consequently,there were uncertainties surrounding if it is constitutional to resign or not from a post,in order to contest for another, Mr Tayo and D-Erudite decided to play safe. They resigned from the offices they held. While the court case between Mr Optimist and Mr BHF lingered, the latter refused to resign as the Speaker. The major reason for this, was to maintain his powers as the SUG Speaker so as to appoint the Independent Electoral Committee(IEC) Chairman and Secretary. Mr BHF gave these two positions to students whom many referred to as 'BHF LOYALISTS'. Based on a BHF IEC, the conduct and results of the elections were projected to favour him. The drama which we thought was about to end had just began! The IEC resumed its duties, forms were sold and different phases of screening of aspirants  were to be commenced. While this was going on at the IEC desk, a court case was also going on. This would prove crucial.  An induction from the court was subsequently received to put a halt to all screening processes and other activities of the IEC, till when a judgement was passed by the court on the BHF congress-his actions during the congress and the resolution of the congress itself. Mr BHF was buoyant and resourceful enough to hire the best brains in Faculty of Law to defend his case. As a matter of fact, two of his counsels just returned from a mooting competition in India where they defeated an Indian law focused university.  Judgement was adjourned, so was the election date postponed.  It got to a  stage the election was finally postponed from the traditional Second semester to an unusual following First semester. Eventually, Mr BHF, through his counsels won his case and also an appeal case filed by Mr Optimist. Attempts to disqualify Mr BHF based on his actions failed. The tides would soon turn. 

The story on the lips of many students as the First Semester began was the SUG elections. However, a new drama will eventually lead to an end. Constitutionally  in LASUSU, you must have a CGPA of at least 3.0 before you can contest for any post.  As at when the forms were sold the previous semester, every of the aspirants had a minimum of 3.0 while some had as high as 4.46. One of the presidential aspirants, D-ERUDITE's  CGPA had reduced to 2.96 in the course of writing the second semester exam. This sparked another debate, as many said he should be disqualified based on the constitutional requirement of at least 3.0. Everyone looked up to the electoral umpire for the final decision. On the day of manifesto, some days to the election, a list released by the IEC showed  D-ERUDITE was 'NOT QUALIFIED' to contest for the Presidency. With elections about 72hours away, and a Presidential candidate alongside a Financial Secretary aspirant dubbed 'NOT QUALIFIED'. The atmosphere became more tense and it became very much imperative for the VC to step in and calm the waters. Prof. Fagbohun called a meeting of SUG Stakeholders, IEC members and LASUSU aspirants on Monday morning, 24hours to the election. At the meeting, the disqualification issue was tackled from Legal,moral,social and financial perspectives. Many argued, so far D-ERUDITE met the required minimum  CGPA of 3point as at  when he obtained the form and would have contested if the election was not postponed,then he should contest the election because he obtained the form the previous semester and not the present one. The Vice Chancellor flanked by the Dean of Students' Affairs and other administrative  officers gave audience to all the parties involved and applied enormous ingenuity to solve the issue on ground. Eventually, after several deliberation,arguments, legal terminologies,constitutional analysis and others, D-ERUDITE was affirmed to have been qualified to contest for LASUSU presidency. Another pertinent issue solved at the stakeholders meeting was the transparency and credibility of the Independent Electoral Committee (IEC) which was formed by the SUG Speaker and Presidential aspirant, mr BHF. This was brought to bare by D-Erudite himself who bemoaned the lack of trust in the IEC, the Vice Chancellor in consultation with the Students there, appointed the outgoing SUG President and another lady to oversee the actions of the IEC chairman on election's day. This singular action smashed the apparent plans of Mr BHF whom many believed would influence the IEC appointed by him. After the meeting, all the aspirants trooped out to canvass the students and urged them to come out en masse and vote.
 
The day of election was very much fun and eventful. Each aspirant began his/her mobilization of voters from their stronghold,which was their faculty. Voting which is done online at each Faculty polling unit, began in the afternoon amidst optimism and fear. Aspirants made last ditch attempts to sway voters in their favour by providing pop corn,Sobo,pure water,snacks and even Fried rice to voters while they were on queue.  Aspirants were seen running around various faculties with their friends and campaign team to ensure their political structures and plans at each Faculty were intact. At least, to their fantasy. A long and protracted process would eventually come to an end. The voting exercise ended by 6pm and students converged in their hundreds at the front of the University's ICT to hear the results.  One could see the tension, fears and emotions of the aspirants as their friends gathered around them. I,personally, began to pity them, most of them will surely end up in tears tonight. What will happen to D-Erudite if he loses,after making banners of about 15inches to campaign? Asked a female student beside me.   

The fears of many will eventually become a reality as results were announced around 7:30pm. The thunderous screams of 'TAYOUR NI OO' rented the air. He had defeated his closest opponent; D-ERUDITE by 930votes to 648 votes. BHF eventually polled just 297votes. Tayour's supporters went jubilant,running,dancing and shouting. He, himself, was nowhere to be found. According to him, he was already in a vehicle stationed at the front of his stronghold, Faculty of Social Sciences, and when he heard he had won, he was swiftly drove out of campus to avoid being mobbed by the jubilant crowd. The news of BHF polling just 297 votes,alongside that of Miss Oshodi Adedolapo losing by just 10votes to her opponent Miss Mustapha Damilola,who were both Vice-Presidential aspirants formed the earliest reactions to the election results. The former had 918votes while the latter had 928votes. The reactions to the Presidential results was the most spectacular. D-Erudite who was being consoled by his followers some minutes after the results had been announced, suddenly turned back and made a remarkable statement "Greatest LASUITES! I am not a Loser as long as I did not lose to BHF, Tayo was not my opponent". While Tayour thanked the students for their support,and BHF released a statement congratulating Tayo, Erudite made his another gist. In his statement D-Erudite thanked his supporters,congratulated Tayo whom he referred to as a brother from different mother. He also pledged to work with him in his administration. Erudite will however not turn down another opportunity to take a swipe at Mr BHF, he proceeded to say "It is imperative to say that I am never a loser because I contested with BHF not Tayo and for BHF to gallantly lose it is happiness for me. Despite all the victimization and attack BHF did to myself and Tayo, and the 2million naira he spent, he could not have 300 votes. This is an aberration on him".Although students' reactions to D-Erudite statement was more of sympathy.  According to Olawale, a 200-Level Political Science student "I salute your courage and doggedness comrade D-ERUDITE, indeed you aren't a loser because from the onset to the very end the political campaign you ran was issue based, you never indulged in politics of acrimony nor did you victimise your political opponents and you jettisoned politics of acrimony despite the fact that you are to a very large extent an incumbent exco. Let the truth be told your records and antecedents speak for you and there is no iota of doubt in my mind that you have written your name in Gold in LASU as far as LASUSU is concerned. I personally, respect  your humility and leadership prowess  and am pretty sure  majority of LASUITES do too. Myself and on behalf of Team Tayour, salute your comradeship and sportsmanship". 
Some students and alumni also believe D-Erudite lost due to the tussle between him and BHF. According to an Alumnus, Comrade Momodu Embassy "Tayour greatly profited from the war of attrition between Erudite and BHF,which ironically worked against the duo".

   Consequent on the foregoing, it is evident that campus politics is fun and also filled with great lessons. According to Barrister Adeshina Ogunlanna, "When you get yourself involved in campus politics, you get double education, in terms of course of study, then politics and administration". I, personally, have learnt great lessons about life and human relations as the General Secretary of Faculty of Arts. However, do not involve in politics and student administration with the goal of siphoning funds or see it as a do-or-die affair. Campus politics is meant to train,prepare and develop the undergraduate mind for the challenges inherent in life.

Olugbenga Pelumi is a student in the department of History and International Studies. He is a campus journalist, a political analyst and a pan-Africanist. 
Phone number- 08160156636.
Facebook-IAm Olugbenga Pelumi.