Education
Innovation: Ibadan Poly Introduces e-Voting System for SUG Elections
Management of The Polytechnic Ibadan has keyed into the fourth industrial revolution driven by digital technology by introducing an Electronic Voting System for the conduct of the just concluded Students Union (SUG) Government elections held on Wednesday, 13th November, 2019 at its Sango campus.
The elections, which was first of its kind in the institution commenced around 11am and ended at 6pm. An HND 1 student of public administration, Fadare Blessing emerged as the President with 1226 votes, while his closest rival, Salako Oluwatosin, polled 1149 votes in an election which many adjudged as peaceful, transparent, free and fair. Also, Adekola Yussuf emerged as the General Secretary with 903 votes to defeat Fasesan Toheeb who scored 755 votes.
At the collation centre, housing the agents, electoral committee amid tight security, also displayed real time results through projected media .
Speaking on the new innovation, the Deputy Registrar, Student Affairs, Mrs Ayoade Abosede Olu informed that the new initiative was to avert post-election acrimony and also to curb electoral violence which has been a tradition in the institution during electioneering period.
According to her, “we started very well and its going on very well. It is the best option that we have now and kudos to the school management for coming out with this idea. The election has been on since morning and you can see people sitting down no tension, we are okay.
“Before now, the election is always mar with violence and crisis but now we all have our peace. The voting is going on peacefully. Students don’t need to be on campus before voting once they can access the portal.
“Both the students and management prefer this system of voting because, there is less stress and it cost-less. Although, there are few challenges but I am sure that there will be improvement in subsequent elections”, Ayoade assured.
The implementation of the e-voting system, just like every other noble idea, is not without its challenges, she, however disclosed some of the challenges the exercise faced at the commencement of the election.
“The complaint we had was that some people are voting outside by hacking into the system but that has been resolved everything is normal now. It took us a long time before we can calm the candidates down and convince them about this option. We are supposed to have this election since August but we shifted it now to perfect the system because we don’t want any crisis or post-election violence”.
Also corroborating her, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Soladoye Adewole explained that the management set up electoral committee which included Faculty officers, Student representative council (SRC), Student Press Council and others to decide on what modalities to adopt for the election and the e-voting was the best option.
He stressed that the introduction of the e-voting system became imperative so as to eliminate doubt and fear of election rigging as the system is tension-free, adding that the new initiative has helped to reduce the cost of campaign during election.
Soladoye said, “ We settled for the e-voting, streamlined the pre-election process , midwived and put the process in place and the students were carried along. There was no tension, ballot snatching, killing, because they voted in their comfort zones. It is tension free.
The Polytechnic Ibadan image maker , however noted that there were few challenges, but reassured that more efforts would be channeled towards improving and sustaining the new system.
Some of the agents at the collation center who spoke with our reporter lauded the ingenuity of the management. They further called for the need for improvement on the system.
According to Akpeji Clement, one of the agents, “this is the first time the Polytechnic Ibadan is organizing such an innovative set up of voting online. It is a very good one. Before now there were a lot of anxieties. Students were wondering how it will go about especially how they would log on to the website. But with what we have seen, everything is going on fine, we hope that other institutions and the government would emulate this innovation to reduce electoral violence.
“With this system of voting, we have no option than to be satisfied with the outcome of the election. Although a lot of students were unable to vote based on the fact that we have to log in with our second semester school fee receipts. The fact that I have not paid my school fee receipt doesn’t mean that I am not a bonafide student of the Polytechnic of Ibadan”,
Another agent, Oyekunle Yusuf, who called for the need for voters education summited, “we are aware but I think they need to give us demo to know how to go about it. Not every students are familiar with this new system. But it is a very democratic way of electing our leaders”
Mega Icon Magazine reliably gathered that some students made effort to break into the system, but the management was in complete control of the situation.
No doubt, the alternative electronic voting has demonstrated great advantages especially in introducing efficiency at the vote tallying stage of the election. It is indeed, a secured approach to guarantee the sanctity of the process, but can be improved upon.
The Oyo State Government has announced the appointment of Mr. Adewunmi Joseph Ogunjimi as the Acting Registrar and Mr. David Olukola Taiwo as the Acting Bursar of The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
According to a statement released by Soladoye Adewole, the Polytechnic’s Public Relations Officer, the appointment letters were issued on behalf of the State Government by the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, and were dated 8th April. These appointments were endorsed by the Acting Rector of the institution, Dr. Taiwo Lasisi.
Adewunmi Joseph Ogunjimi, the newly appointed Acting Registrar, brings a wealth of administrative experience to his new role. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Deputy Registrar of the Directorate of Academic Affairs at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Ogunjimi holds a B.Sc degree in Psychology from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and an MSc in Industrial Psychology from the University of Ibadan.
His journey in academia began at Prospect High School, Aba Nla, where he completed his secondary education between 1973 and 1978. Ogunjimi’s tenure at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, spans several years, during which he held various administrative positions, showcasing his prowess as an administrative wizard.
David Olukola Taiwo, the newly appointed Acting Bursar, comes with extensive experience in financial management. Prior to his appointment, he served as the Chief Accountant at The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Taiwo began his career at the institution in March 1994, joining as an Accountant II. Over the years, he climbed the ranks to become the Chief Accountant in 2015. Taiwo holds multiple qualifications in accounting and is a Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCE).
His contributions within the Bursary Department, including roles such as Head of the Treasury Unit and Head of the Final Accounts Unit, underscore his proficiency in financial matters.
Both Ogunjimi and Taiwo are described as family-oriented individuals, happily married and blessed with responsible children.
The appointments of Mr. Adewunmi Joseph Ogunjimi and Mr. David Olukola Taiwo signify a new chapter in the administrative landscape of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, as they assume their respective roles with dedication and expertise.
Education
UI’s 545th inaugural lecture: Pogoson urges Tinubu to review foreign policy amid global shifts
Professor Aituaje Irene Pogoson, a scholar at the University of Ibadan (UI), has emphasised the pressing need for a more coherent elucidation of President Bola Tinubu’s 4-D renewed foreign policy doctrine.
This assertion was made during her delivery of the university’s 545th inaugural lecture entitled “The World in Transition: Understanding Power in the International System.”
Addressing a diverse audience including prominent academics and former Vice-Chancellors, Professor Pogoson underscored the imperative for Nigeria to confront a myriad of socio-economic and political challenges to assert its position in the evolving global landscape.
The lecture, marking the 14th in the series for the 2022/2023 academic session and the 11th inaugural lecture from the Department of Political Science, highlighted the urgency for Nigeria to recalibrate its foreign policy strategy.
Speaking passionately, Professor Pogoson, the first female lecturer and Head of the Department of Political Science at the university, lamented Nigeria’s current positioning within the global order, stressing the need for the country to maintain respect and relevance internationally.
She emphasised the necessity for Nigeria to re-strategize and re-formulate its foreign policy framework to effectively address both internal and external dynamics.
In analysing President Tinubu’s administration’s efforts towards repositioning Nigeria on the global stage, Professor Pogoson acknowledged the unveiling of ‘Nigeria’s 4-D Renewed Foreign Policy Doctrine,’ comprising Democracy, Demography, Development, and Diaspora.
However, she urged for a clearer articulation of this doctrine, advocating for concrete policies and actions to be outlined.
This marked Professor Pogoson’s third public lecture at the university, following her previous engagements addressing issues ranging from terrorism and national security to global power shifts.
President Bola Tinubu marked a significant milestone on Wednesday as he officially signed the National Students Loan Amendment bill into law during a brief ceremony held at the State House.
The event witnessed the presence of esteemed dignitaries including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy President of the Senate Barau Jibrin, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, Ministers Hannatu Musawa and Ayodele Olawande, as well as the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, alongside other government officials and presidential aides.
The bill, initially endorsed by Tinubu in June 2023, aims to provide crucial financial assistance to Nigerian students pursuing tertiary education. Despite its previous signing, the implementation of the bill encountered delays attributed to various challenges hindering its rollout.
In his remarks following the signing, President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for their swift handling of the bill, emphasising the pivotal role of education in combating poverty.
He stated, “First of all, I must thank members of the National Assembly for their expeditious handling of this bill considering the children of Nigeria, that education is the tool to fight against poverty effectively.”
Tinubu reiterated the government’s commitment to prioritising education and fostering skills development programmes to ensure equitable access to quality education for all Nigerian citizens, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds.
He underscored the importance of eliminating barriers to education, stating, “We are determined to ensure that education is given the proper attention necessary for the country including skills development programmes. This is to ensure that no one, no matter how poor their background is, is excluded from quality education and opportunity to build their future.”
Highlighting the significance of the bill, Tinubu emphasised the transformative impact it will have on addressing the issue of college dropout rates among Nigerian students.
He affirmed, “We are here because we are all educated and were helped. In the past, we have seen a lot of our children drop out of college and give up the opportunity. That is no more, the standard and the control is there for you to apply no matter who you are as long as you are a Nigerian citizen.”
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