Opinion:Reasons MAPOLY SUG Election Must Hold

Hassan Abdulsalam

The Student Union Government(SUG) is the number one body and the first point of call for Students in tertiary institutions to which Moshood Abiola Polytechnic is not an exception.

It is the voice of the students  on and off campus that is dedicated to social,organizational activities,representation and academic support for all students of the institution.

Meanwhile most students in MAPOLY do not seem to know  their rightful status to vote and be voted for within the walls of the polytechnic.

The Polytechnic management allegedly suspended the 2019/2020 academic session Student Union election over alleged inappropriate conduct of the election by the electoral committee among other vices.

It would be recalled that the election which ought to  have been conducted in the previous academic session,specifically in the second semester was ‘suspended’ by the management due to ‘some reasons’ best known to them.

Recently, the former Student Union President of the polytechnic,Comrade Rasaq Owoiya A.k.A Owomummy appealed to the management to reconsider its  decision on the suspended Students Union Government election and conduct the election so that the students will enjoy their franchise right.

Transportation has been the major challenge students face every morning when coming to school for lectures.

This it was observed was as a result of limited shuttle available for the students.Almost every morning students get to lose valuable items in the process of struggling to get bus to school.

Sadly there is no Student Union the students can walk up to and relate with to intercede on their behalf with the management.

The newly admitted students on the other hand will not have the opportunity to showcase their talents and developed themselves as the sporting events for the fresh students known as the ‘Freshers Cup’ has been jeopardized due to the unavailability of the Students Union.

It is noteworthy that MAPOLY Unionism(politics)overtime has given the students the perequsite training and avenue to develop their leadership skills.

 Looking at the political atmosphere of the state presently,it will be discovered that former students of the institution who had nurtured their flair for Students Union politics since their days in the institution are now in the corridors of power piloting the affairs of the state, the development which the institution is proud of today.

Meanwhile,the Students’ Union aspirants,your electorates (students) really needs some representatives to lend their voices at the management level in their own interest.

 The only hope is that the election should be re-conducted because the belief is that with God and you, we can have solutions to the deficiency in the transportation system,undue harassment from security operatives,ensuring them better welfarism as students among other challenges facing the student populace.

The management should note that if it refuses to re-conduct the Students Union election,the students might lose faith in its leadership.

Importantly,the conduct of the election will further build the trust of the students in the hope of restoring the lost glory of the school and the management led by the acting Rector Dr. Adeoye Odedeji.

Therefore,it is imperative for the management to have a re-think on the earlier suspended Student Union election.

We urged the management to accelerate the move to re-conduct the SU election to protect the interest of the school and the student’s populace in the state and beyond.