Background 

On September 13, 2025, the 12th SRC Assembly adopted Audit and Disciplinary Committee reports highlighting multiple financial misconduct allegations against SU executives, including the President, General Secretary, Treasurer, and AGS.

Following the Congress held on September 20th, 2025, chaired by the President, who is among those accused, circulated public stunts have inaccurately stated that members of the Students’ Union (SU) Executive Committee at the University of Ibadan have been cleared of financial misconduct allegations.

Fact-Checking Recent Claims

Claim 1: “While we await their response, we are confident over the fact that no one is guilty of the charges” – President, Covenant Odedele

During the Student Union Congress, the President, Covenant Odedele addressed allegations of financial misconduct involving himself and other executive members.

He stated that he was confident that members of the Union’s executive committee accused of financial misconducts were innocent.

He, along with the Treasurer, Joshua Bioku, presented their justification for why they consider the accused executives to be innocent.

They cited a UCJ news report stating that the alleged ₦2 million loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was, “in fact”, union dues paid by students into the TSA account and held in the CBN vault because of the university’s federal status.

The treasurer also defended his action of moving a reported sum of ₦5.1 million to his personal account, claiming that it was constitutionally permissible.

Mr Odedele said, “There was a recent report of financial misconduct that went out as touching certain members of the student union executive council and the summary of this is primarily because of a communication gap between these members of the executive council and the working committees of the SRC.”

He added, “The matters are still at the house at the disciplinary committee, and while we await their response, we are confident over the fact that no one is guilty of the charges. And when the disciplinary committee sits on the case, there will be a proper report to ensure that the case is well spelt out as it is.”

 

Claim 2: “Allegations against UI’SU treasurer, cleared✅” – Theonesky, D_Engineer_Of_UI

A few hours after the Congress ended, a broadcast message originated from a Whatsapp channel “Students Media Academic and Scholarship Updates”, and was e-signed by an individual identified as D_Engineer_Of_UI.

The broadcast boldly claimed that the UI’SU Treasurer had been cleared of the allegations against him during the Congress.

But the same message further suggested that the Assistant General Secretary (AGS), Emmanuel Olawoye, would be cleared soon.

 

Claim 3: “The Union did not borrow any loan. We only received our dues from the school management, sourced from the CBN vault they operate with.” – The Auspicious Team

Also, hours after the Congress had ended, the Auspicious team or UI’SU executive committee, through the UI’SU channel, issued a brief statement, which could be misinterpreted by the public.

The announcement, made by the Public Relations Officer, Adekanmbi Ezekiel, stated that the union did not borrow any money from the CBN.

Mr Adekanmbi explained that the union only received its dues from the school management, sourced from the CBN vault.

“The Union did not borrow any loan. We only received our dues from the school management, sourced from the CBN vault they operate with. Funds approved by the SRC were collected by the Treasurer into his personal account, as constitutionally mandated, since he is in charge of disbursement. These and other matters were clarified at today’s Congress,” Mr Adekanmbi stated.

While the message above did not explicitly state that the alleged UI’SU executive committee members accused of financial misconduct had been cleared, its assertive tone may be misconstrued, under the assumption that the matter has been fully verified and resolved.

Facts: What You Should Know

At the Congress, both the President and the Treasurer, addressed the allegations brought against them by the SRC Audit Committee report.The Congress, however, did not absolve them of these accusations.

Last Saturday’s Congress, as a public opportunity, was rather used by the President and Treasurer, as an avenue to present their defense or explanations.

The Congress, neither resolved the allegations nor issued a binding decision clearing any of the executives of wrongdoing.

The Congress did not also officially validate their claims of innocence.

Hinged on the above, the speeches at the Congress did not constitute any formal adjudication or exoneration process.

The authoritative body empowered to determine absolute innocence is the Student Representative Council, after all claims and evidence must have been thoroughly reviewed and verified.

ARTICLE XXV of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union constitution, titled “Powers of Council” states that “(ii) The Council shall take cognizance of any report which may be brought before it involving the conduct of any member of the Union which affects the reputation of the Union, and refer such matters to a Committee set up for that purpose.”

ARTICLE XXVII of the same constitution, titled ‘Committees’ stated that the Disciplinary Committee “shall be solely responsible for disciplinary actions against members and any erring officers of the Union,” while adding that “decision of the Committee shall be final and binding on any erring member except reviewed by the Council.”

Speaking to Honourable Olanrenwaju Basit, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the 12th SRC Assembly, on whether the alleged members of the UI’SU executive committee had been cleared, he responded in the negative.

“I do not know where the claims originated that members of the Executive Council referred to the Disciplinary Committee have been cleared of the alleged offences. The matter is still pending,” Mr Olanrewaju said.

“All the officers concerned have been duly served with a letter titled “Notification of Alleged Offence and Request for Statement of Defence,” with an appropriate timeframe given in the interest of fairness and justice. Other necessary steps to ensure that justice is not only served but also manifestly seen to be served will follow in due course,” he said.

“On your second question, the only body empowered by the Union Constitution to clear the affected officers aside the disciplinary committee is the Students’ Representative Council itself, or as otherwise provided under any relevant clause of the Senate regulations,” he noted.

“Lastly, with respect to whether they have already been cleared, the Council cannot validly do so without the report of the Disciplinary Committee,” he emphasized.

Conclusion 

The members of the Students’ Union Executive Committee accused of financial misconduct have neither been cleared by the Disciplinary Committee nor the Council.

The claim that the alleged executive members did not borrow money from the Central Bank remains unverified, and the Treasurer’s explanation that he was constitutionally authorized to disburse the Union’s funds remains a defense for transferring the funds into his account.

All the cases are still pending, and will only be conclusively resolved once the 12th Assembly reaches a final determination.

This accountability (fact-checking)report was jointly produced by IndyPress, AfasPress, ZikPress, History Press, in affiliation with the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ibadan.