Foundational Faults of the Fourth Estate Of Government; NANCE Election Irregularities -By Kareem Itunu Azeez

Telling the world how important journalism is cannot be overemphasized,  and as true as there remain true journalist who is stick to the honest side of the profession let us not forget there still remain those who at every corner have found their ways into the corridors of floating all they can,  due to one reason or the other,  and as such,  all true journalist seems to have a  long way to go in redeeming the almost lost glory of the Nigerian Journalists.

However it is even more heartbreaking realising those term as the watchdog of the state,  are those on their early times already painting the flag black and red,  in the waters of irregularities,  through the icy hands of corruption,  greed,  lies, and more terribly indecency in administrating the future of journalism, this is the likes of the journalist who beg those trampling on their right because journalism to them is only a way of footing their bills and not to correct the ills of the society,  -a society endlessly needing waters to survive.

NANCE,  NANCE,  NANCE,  the National Association of Nigeria Campus Editors is where I will pick my sorrowful words this day, the Association was erected by honest and serving journalist,  who is till current times in the trade of correcting as well as in eradicating the ills of today’s’ Nigeria people,  they are people who have to pass the barton to fresher minds,  from time immemorial,  and such barton seems dwindling and getting into the wrong hands, I do hope they look back to redeem what they started some years back, before it totally becomes an irony of its creation, especially in the hands of today’s youth who especially need the light to thread the right path.

Under the leadership of Oladimeji John Jonathan (PRESIDENT) and the current General Secretary, Elijah Madubuihe the NANCE seems to be making some progress, but a good man alone in the midst of bad people would always be questioned,  irrespective,  and such would question the school as well as the home such people had come from.

However, if we judge a man base on his selection of leaders especially at the last lap of his tenure we might have a wrong picture of such peoples’ personality,  but in the face of facts  – Sentiments and emotional interest is thrown into the bin of forgetfulness.

And the capabilities of the President was thrown to play in his organisation of the NANCE 2020 election,  his appointees,  from the IEC chairman,  (OLUDE ANUOLUWAPO) down to every organisers of the election,  notably the protagonist of the event,  the IEC chairman,  in person of one Mr Anuoluwapo……which his studentship is still unverified till current times as per the school he has come from. Another is the unclear criteria used in selecting the committee,  and that follows subsequently as even more events continue to unravel in the only place expectedly to be the solace of the masses. So much to be worried about that scraping this Association might do well to begin the redemption of Journalism.

But more troubling is that this is students as well as youths,  looked to as the true future of tomorrow…

The NANCE election was held,  on the 3rd of September,  an E-Voting system, under the auspices of Olude Anuoluwapo,  ( IEC CHAIRMAN) so as to follow the necessary protocols,  during this new normal times,  and respected associations declare their interest in serving the fourth estate of the realm,  of this aspirants include as well as the school they represent;

Adeleke Yusuf from Mapoly (presidential Aspirant)

Abe Olamide (Joyoung) (FCA abeokuta in affiliation with Ibadan (Who was never allowed to vote)

Nweke Mary (Federal School of Statistic Ibadan) Vice Presidential Aspirant

Boluwatife Joshua from (Tai Solarin University of Education)  General Secretary Aspirant

Kareem itunu Azeez (Lagos state University) General Secretary Aspirant 2

Jeremiah Oluwafemi (Ekiti state University) Regional head

Aspirant

Adeleye Temitope (PRO) Aspirant unopposed

Akintunde Oluwatobi from (Ekiti State University) Assistant  General Secretary.

Solubi Olayinka from (TASUED)  Regional head aspirant 2

Oluwaji Ayotunde (TASUED) librarian Aspirant

MAPOLY

Abolade Boluwatito from (Abraham Adesanya University) Financial Secretary Aspirant

And so many other tertiary institutions who are under the umbrella of NANCE as well as the National Union of Campus Journalist, (NUCJ) all coming forward to declare their intentions and manifesto,  and as the normal settings of an election period,  the campaign is expected to roll in,  at this period all our friends to the aspirants as they go their normal way seeking and extending a hand of friendship even to their enemies. But thanks to the COVID-19,  which restricted all to just online and WhatsApp campaign all was well and intellectuals were reveal during this period,  and should manifesto be able to win the election,  many on the platforms would definitely have given their mandate to some specific people who stood out.

The crux of the whole thing and a great tragedy to journalism was finally unraveled on the election day, and although some aspirants were already complaining of the irregularities as it comes to their mind,  while the rest kept mute assuming it is just a fowl cry seeking for public sympathy,  the next few hours really proof to the Nigerian youths that in us truly lies the fault,  and more sadly where it has emanated from,  the midst of journalist.

Election commenced as late as 11am rather than the 10am promised for just online voting through google form and lasted till about 4pm in the evening,  however one journalist seems to distinguish himself away from the brown envelope syndrome even in the face of losing the election, as soon as the results where released, the winners were declared in this bulletin

National Association of Nigeria Campus Editors’ (NANCE)

_ELECTORAL COMMITTEE 2020_

Presentation of Election results

To: _NANCE President _

Sir, the electoral committee presents the correct/accurate/facts of the just concluded “NANCE Editors election” to you.

Elections commenced 11:12am and ended 3:57pm as scheduled sir.

Below you will find number of total votes, number of removed votes and the final calculation of results for both candidates with oppositions and the unopposed candidates.

Removed vote/void: (1) some delegates voted twice with the link given (2) some names and phone numbers that were entered while voting did not match with the ones we received prior to this election sir. (3) double votes are reduced to one in cases where the right person voted and votes matched. (4) cases where the double votes by the same person don’t match we removed both votes.

Librarian (unopposed): Oluwaji Ayotunde

Total Vote: 80

Void vote: 7

Accepted vote: 73

PRO (unopposed): Adeleye Temitope

Total Vote: 78

Void vote: 4

Accepted vote: 74

Assistant Gen-Secretary (unopposed):

Akintunde Oluwatobi

Total vote: 78

Void vote: 4

Accepted vote: 74

Financial Secretary(unopposed): Abolade Bolatito

Total vote: not represent.

Void vote: –

Accepted vote: –

Vice President (unopposed): Nweke Mary

Total vote: 74

Void vote: 17

Accepted vote: 54

Regional Head 1 : 🗳

Total vote: 133

Void vote: 21

Accepted vote: 113

———————————————-

Shonubi Olayinka: 39 VOTEs

Jeremiah Oluwaferanmi: 74 VOTEs ✅

———————————————-

General Secretary: 🗳

Total vote: 119

Void vote: 21

Accepted vote: 98

——————————————

Boluwatife Joshua: 62✅

Solace: 36

——————————————-

President: 🗳

Total vote: 114

Void vote: 15

Accepted vote: 99

————————————-

Buoyant: 61 VOTEs ✅

Joyoung: 38 VOTEs

———————————————

The Executive-Elect are:

Adeleke Yusuf – President

Nweke Mary- Vice President

General Secretary- Boluwatife Joshua

Ass-General Secretary- Akintunde Oluwatobi

Financial Secretary- Abolade Bolatito Ifeoluwa

PRO- Adeleye Temitope

Librarian: Oluwaji Ayotunde

Regional Head 1 – Jeremiah Oluwaferanmi

Regional Head 2 – Shonubi Olayinka

Yours Sincerely,

God bless NANCE!

A group member threw in a question to the WhatsApp platform page of the NANCE,   asking the IEC chairman (OLUDE ANUOLUWAPO)  if they can still further pay the #5000 he requested so as for them and their aspirant be declared winner….the page went wide and in quick defense came the president of the association,  seeking for the removal of such a person,  however, more was to come as an audio note was sent to the group, it was a conversation between an aspirant and the IEC chairman, (OLUDE ANUOLUWAPO) asking for a sum of #5000,  quickly so the aspirant would be declared the winner. That aspirant who revealed the secret through recorded call was a General Secretary Aspirant,  from the Lagos State University,  as well as the Editor In Chief of their Campus Journalist,  his name,  Kareem Itunu Azeez.

While arguments erupt from the group, some still feel it was a doctored call, chats and screenshots followed suit, revealing conversation between the two individuals of which the IEC chairman eventually sent his account details. ( With the short acronym ASAP (As Soon As Possible) it was glaring and revealing,  and to the surprise of everyone,  the IEC chairman was quickly removed from the group, without allowing him to defend himself,  and all attempt made by the complainant to let him remain on the group and at least defend himself was all abortive, and without uttering a word, or a reply to argue or fight his accusers,  not even a word to redeem himself of the accusations if they were false or not…..the events that followed simply show how a keg of black powder the tomorrow of Nigeria is,  how more and more journalist might be washed aside on the dark streets of Nigeria might even become because some have from the foundation begin to soil the purity of journalism in the name of their greediness.

And till this period NANCE still is in limbo, and with a five man  panel created, this five men are:

The committee will select a chairman among them.

1)Olanrewaju Adam Oluwatobi

The Oke Ogun Polytechnic, Saki (TOPS).

2)Babatunde Dayo Titilola (ACJ OAU)

3)Ijeoma Caleb (Abraham adesanya polytechnic)

4)Michael Babatunde (MAPOLY)

5) Adeniyi Nicholas (Ekiti State University).

_-Presidency

And while only the complainant have being interrogated secretly the report from them read,  “There are many Irregularities surrounding





the #5000,  taken” and more time even an indefinite time be given for an issue supposedly be discuss on the NANCE platform for all to see……

Tomorrow we fight again to redeem NANCE,  or rather it should be dissolved once and for all, and away from the hands of those who would not let it grow…

Even with attached evidences;  the created Panelists listed above are still confused about what to do and what not to do….truly in us lies the fault.

Kareem Itunu Azeez writes from Lagos State University,

He is a campus Journalist