The highly anticipated presidential debate of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Students’ Union election, scheduled to hold on Monday evening, June 23, 2025, ended in disappointment as the event was cancelled after hours of waiting, leaving thousands of students frustrated and confused.
The Nigeria Education News team was live on OAU campus to cover the event. Our correspondents were on ground at the Oduduwa Hall well ahead of the 6:00 PM scheduled time. Upon arrival, a member of staff stationed at the hall informed us that the debate might not hold due to a lack of formal communication with the Dean of Students’ Affairs.
According to the staff member, the hall management had reached out to the Dean after students and electoral officials attempted to gain access, only to be told that no prior permission had been granted to use the venue. This procedural error, he claimed, meant that the event could not be approved for use by the university.
In an effort to get clarity, our reporters reached out to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Great Ife Students’ Union Electoral Commission. Unfortunately, there was no response, and no official clarification was provided by the commission as students and press personnel alike waited in suspense outside the hall.
Surprisingly, at approximately 7:45 PM, the doors to Oduduwa Hall were opened and excited students trooped in with enthusiasm, believing the debate would finally take place. The hall quickly filled to capacity as students from various faculties and hostels gathered, eager to hear from the aspirants vying for the Students’ Union presidency.
For nearly two hours, the crowd waited patiently for the commencement of the debate. Aspirants, campaign team members, student journalists, and concerned observers remained seated, expecting an official announcement to kickstart the evening’s proceedings. However, by 9:30 PM, after prolonged silence and mounting tension, an abrupt announcement was made declaring that the debate had been cancelled until further notice.
The unexpected cancellation sparked murmurings and visible frustration among the student body. Many attendees lamented the poor coordination and lack of accountability by the electoral commission. “Why schedule a debate if you didn’t get permission from the Dean? We left other things to be here,” said a student from the Faculty of Law.
At the time of filing this report, no official memo or press statement had been released by the Great Ife Students’ Union Electoral Commission to explain the circumstances that led to the cancellation. The silence has only fueled further speculation and criticism of the commission’s preparedness for the election season.
Some students also expressed concern over the transparency of the election process, questioning whether this setback might affect voters’ confidence in the electoral commission. “This was supposed to be an avenue for us to assess our leaders, now we are left in the dark,” a student from the Department of Political Science said.
As the Students’ Union elections draw closer, The Nigeria Education News will continue to provide live, accurate, and balanced coverage from OAU campus to keep the university community and the public informed of key developments.
