By: IndyPress News Desk

The Executive Council of the Students’ Union, University of Ibadan, has suspended the Congress initially scheduled for Saturday, May 17, 2025.

Recall that on Saturday, May 10, 2025, the Students’ Representative Council ratified the Congress during its first ordinary sitting to deliberate on pressing fee-related issues.

According to a memorandum co-signed by the Students’ Union President, Covenant Odedele, and General Secretary, Segun Olowu, the decision to suspend the Congress stems from an incident involving unidentified students who visited the Union Secretariat and allegedly harassed some executive members on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

“We write to inform the student body about recent developments pertaining to the Students’ Union Congress, which was initially slated to hold on Saturday, 17th May 2025,” the memorandum reads.

“The decision has become necessary in light of recent events. Earlier today, a group of students visited the Students’ Union Building to engage with Union Executives, namely the President, the General Secretary, and the Public Relations Officer.

“While they were welcomed and their questions addressed in good faith, the engagement suddenly took an aggressive turn. As the Union officials attempted to leave the President’s office, the students forcefully blocked their exit for several minutes, preventing them from attending to other urgent commitments. In the process, the General Secretary sustained an injury to his arm,” the statement added.

The latest is not the first instance of a suspended Congress.

Under the Aweda Bolaji-led administration, a Congress ratified by the 11th Assembly and scheduled for June 28, 2024, was also unconstitutionally suspended by the then-President.

The latest indefinite suspension of the Congress by the Executive Council raises concerns about the Union’s commitment to the resolutions of the 12th Assembly.

The latest raises questions about the Union’s leadership genuine will to truly represent students, and not abscond using a lame excuse.

A source, who requested anonymity due to fears of possible victimization, informed IndyPress that the previous delay in convening the Congress was because the leadership was awaiting an unconstitutional approval from the Dean of Students and the Department of State Services (DSS).

“The leadership is looking for a means to avoid the Congress. There is no justifiable reason behind the delay. They wrote a letter to the Dean of Students. They are awaiting acknowledgement or approval of the congress from the Dean of Students and the Department of State Services. They are not on the students side,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a Thursday address by the UI’SRC Speaker, Shoge Quadri, to other members of the Students’ Representative Council, corroborated the source’s remark.

“Good evening, Distinguished Colleagues. I inquired from the President about the delay in releasing the notice for Congress. His response is as follows: 1. He was unaware that the notice should be submitted to the Dean of Students. The notice had been prepared, but upon realising the Dean’s involvement was necessary, he submitted the letter today. 2. He will circulate the notice immediately when he receives an acknowledgement from the Dean of Students,” the Speaker wrote.

“However, the House Media and Publicity team are prepared to disseminate the notice once it is released to ensure its wide publicity. Also, for the President’s role that impedes the publicity of the Congress, he would be processed to the Disciplinary Committee for appropriate sanctions,” Shoge added.

All efforts to reach the President, Public Relations Officer, and Speaker, to seek clarity, proved aborted.