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| House session on the 20th of January |
By: Adebowale Akinjide
A democracy can be in different forms, but for one which is called a constitutional democracy, it is important that the constitution of that democracy be allowed to take its core. A nation or an institution that operates a constitutional democracy but the constitution is not binding, such democracy would soon find itself as rubbles in no time. It is why Thomas Jefferson says "the constitution is the soul of a democracy, breathing life into the ideals of a nation and ensuring that the flame of liberty burns bright."
The constitution is supreme, in that it possesses the
power to make those who follow it. It also inheres the ability to morph into a
saber-toothed tiger that mars those who contravene it. In UI politics, however,
it is the current student union executives who have posed as daredevils times
and times again, sticking their indexes in-between the canines of the
carnivore.
Last Saturday, the 20th of January, 2024,
during the ordinary session of the UISRC, another issue that concerned the
breaching of the constitution was discussed on the floor of the House; this time,
it was Erinfolami Hammed, the Union’s Treasurer who found himself on the other
side of the law.
While presenting the union’s first semester expenditure at the floor of the House, it was revealed that the amount approved by the Aquah Emaraobhazi-led Finance Committee for last semester’s UISU Mock Exam, was stipulated at N67, 400; against this, however, the Treasurer disbursed an amount of N70, 400 to the Vice President, Ogunsesan Nafisat, who was in charge of the UISU Mock exam. The act of disbursing more than the House’s Finance Committee approved is a first-class breach of the constitution.
Erinfolami further contravened the constitution by failing to appear during the three meetings of the UISRC finance committee as revealed by the committee chairman himself, Hon. Aquah Emaraobhazi. It is however important to note at this point that Article XXVII, section (A), subsection (i) of the Students Union constitution mandates the Treasurer to be the secretary of the UISRC of the finance committee. It was at this meeting that a sum of N67, 400 was approved for the Mock Exam. Are there any surprises?
While Erinfolami may have been the scapegoat this
time around, we would recall that the Assistant General Secretary of the Union
too, Olalekan Mojuba, had once found himself face-smashing the blade of the Union’s constitution when, last semester, he
spent over N300, 000 than was approved for the fresher’s welcome, an offense to
which he was subjected to community service.
In the same vein, the House Secretary, Oluwole
Ayomide ‘Sanjay’ was found guilty of organizing an end of the year party ‘FINEM
ANNI’ without informing the House. Sanjay received over N200, 000 as sponsorship
into the Union’s account for FINEM ANNI. The trajectory of how this money was
received, spent, was never in the knowledge of the House.
You would also recall that a UCJUI report had
alleged Sanjay of financial misappropriation. The allegations involve him receiving
rents for the UISRC chamber while receiving the money into his personal
account. However, in the last house sitting, the disciplinary committee cleared
him of all financial misappropriation charges, but rather found him culpable of
breach of the constitution and also guilty of breaching protocol as to renting
out and managing funds gotten from renting out the SRC chamber.
There have been speculations of the Treasurer,
Erinfolami Hammed having intentions to run for the office of the President of
the Students Union; the right question to ask therefore is: if a man is found
wanting in little, how then can he be trusted with plenty? The law is sacred
and it wield its dagger against whoever squares up to it. If he could not
constitutionally manage finances as a man in charge of the Union’s treasury,
how well can he then be trusted to properly manage the union itself?
