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.

Speaking with IndyPress, Students’ Union General Secretary Joshua Shontan said he was not involved in drafting or circulating the statement.

“As General Secretary, I have the constitutional responsibility to issue and authenticate official communications of the Students’ Union alongside the President. With respect to the statement of 22 May 2026, I was not involved in its drafting or release, so I am not in the best position to comment on the process through which it was issued.”

He then clarified his role as General Secretary in relation to the Union letterhead used for the endorsement.

“Regarding this, the President ordered the letter. However, due to the content and the fact that the council had not been informed about its release, I eventually sent it to him without my signature after hours of constant calls and personal consideration. My signature confirms the council’s approval; I thought he would ask why I withheld it, but I was never asked.”

“He wasn’t on campus physically at that moment to discuss it further, so I assumed it wasn’t for publication but rather a show of support for the UIte at the convention he attended,” he added.

Although the General Secretary recounted the events that led to the release of the endorsement, his response showed that due process was not followed before the statement was issued.

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