By Gbayesola Samuel 

Recent concerns over statements issued by the Students’ Union President on behalf of the Union have renewed scrutiny of an earlier endorsement that appeared to have been made without following constitutional procedure.

Without the approval of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC), the President of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union, Adeboye Temidayo Sewanu, popularly known as Deboye, singlehandedly endorsed Mr. Alao John, a UI DLC student who contested for the position of National Financial Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), IndyPress has found.

How It Started

On Saturday, May 23, 2026, IndyPress obtained an endorsement notice signed by the Students’ Union President, dated Friday, May 22, 2026, in which he formally declared his support for Alao John’s candidature.

The notice, titled “Official Presidential Endorsement of Comrade Alao John for National Financial Secretary,” was issued on the official Students’ Union letterhead.

“It is a privilege to formally present and endorse Comrade Alao John (Matric No: E054427) for the position of National Financial Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students,” Deboye wrote.

However, as of press time, IndyPress could not find the endorsement notice on any of the Students’ Union’s official communication platforms.

Checks across the Union’s official communication channels equally showed no corresponding publication of the endorsement notice, suggesting that it was circulated selectively rather than through the Union’s established public platforms.

Information gathered by IndyPress further indicated that on the same day, the Students’ Union bus was reportedly seen alongside Mr. Alao John’s campaign vehicle at a filling station while allegedly travelling to Abuja for the NANS National Convention.

While the reason surrounding this decision is uncertain, this development raised questions about compliance with the Students’ Union Constitution.

Article XXV, Subsection (j) provides:

“Approve or reject the candidature of any student representing the Union in any external election of any organization to which the Union is affiliated. This shall be by a simple majority vote at the Council meeting after such a student should have notified the Council through the Clerk in writing. Without such an approval, no member of the Union shall be allowed to contest to represent the Union.”

At the time, IndyPress contacted Deboye to clarify the basis for the endorsement and whether the constitutional approval required by the SRC had been obtained.

Messages sent to the Students’ Union President were not responded to.

Efforts to obtain clarification from the Speaker of the Students’ Representative Council, Rt. Hon. Oludele John, initially produced only a brief reaction.

“Interesting,” the Speaker said when asked whether the Council was aware of the endorsement.

In a recent follow-up inquiry by IndyPress, however, the Speaker maintained that the endorsement was never presented before the Council for approval.

“The house was unaware of the decision to endorse this NANS candidate.” He said.

The Speaker’s response has raised further questions about whether the endorsement represented the official position of the Students’ Union or that of the President acting independently.

IndyPress also observed that the endorsement memo was signed only by the Students’ Union President without the signature of the General Secretary.

Chapter IV, Section 8 of the Students’ Union Constitution states:

“The General Secretary shall be responsible for the administration of the Union Secretariat, keep minutes of all meetings of the Executive Council and Congress, and handle all official correspondence of the Union.”

The absence of the General Secretary’s signature raises further questions about whether the endorsement followed the Union’s prescribed administrative procedures before being issued on official Students’ Union letterhead.

As of press time, efforts to obtain comments from the Students’ Union General Secretary, Joshua Shontan, were unsuccessful. Messages sent by IndyPress had yet to receive a response.

The broader questions 

While this endorsement may have resurfaced amid concerns over official statements issued by the Students’ Union President on behalf of the Union, it reveals the lack of oversight by the Students Representative Council.

Whether the endorsement constituted an official decision of the University of Ibadan Students’ Union or a unilateral action by its President remains central to the issues raised by this investigation.

More details to be released soon