WHEN ELCOM FORGETS THE CONSTITUTION: WHO WILL DEFEND THE INTEGRITY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA SUG ELECTION?

Democracy does not begin on election day.

It begins with rules.

It begins with transparency.

It begins with an Electoral Commission that understands that the constitution is supreme and that electoral guidelines are not a mere formality but the foundation upon which credibility rests.

Sadly, recent memoranda released by the Students' Union Government Electoral Commission (ELCOM) of the University of Abuja have raised more questions than answers.

The issue is not whether elections should hold.

The issue is whether these elections are being prepared in accordance with the constitution, established democratic practices and the principles of fairness.

And if they are not, who will defend the integrity of the process?

Across democracies, election management bodies do not simply wake up and announce that campaigns have commenced.

They release detailed electoral timetables.

They publish electoral guidelines.

They specify qualifications for office.

They outline campaign regulations.

They establish screening procedures.

They explain appeals processes.

They define electoral offences and sanctions.

This is exactly what the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does in Nigeria before every election cycle.

The reason is simple.

An election without clear rules is not democracy.

It is uncertainty.

Therefore, students are justified in asking:

Where is the detailed electoral timetable?

Where are the electoral guidelines?

Where are the qualifications for each office?

Where are the constitutional provisions governing this election?

Why have these fundamental documents not been publicly released?

These are not attacks.

These are legitimate questions in a democratic environment.

An Electoral Commission is not bigger than the constitution.

Neither is its Chairman.

Neither is its Secretary.

Their duty is simple:

To obey and implement the constitution as it is written.

Any attempt to introduce procedures, offices or qualifications outside constitutional provisions opens the door to controversy and legal challenges.

That is why students are beginning to question the memorandum released on nomination forms and elective positions.

The memorandum released by ELCOM lists positions under:

"Faculty Aspirants, Hostel Representatives and Off-Campus Representatives."

Students have begun to ask:

Under what section of the SUG Constitution are these positions recognized?

Was there a constitutional amendment?

Was the Students' Senate consulted?

Is there an enabling provision authorizing ELCOM to create or restructure offices?

These are not insignificant questions.

The constitution should not be interpreted according to convenience.

If Section B is inconsistent with constitutional provisions, ELCOM owes the students immediate clarification.

Another troubling silence is the absence of publicly stated qualifications.

What CGPA is required?

What level of study is required?

Can spill-over students contest?

Are students on disciplinary probation eligible?

Can a student holding another political office serve in ELCOM?

Students deserve answers.

And those answers should not be obtained through rumours or private chats.

They should be published officially.

Perhaps the most painful question confronting many students is this:

How did an Electoral Commission entrusted with such enormous responsibility become so poorly prepared?

The University of Abuja is home to brilliant minds.

Law students.

Political scientists.

Public administrators.

Students of jurisprudence.

People with experience in constitutional interpretation and election management.

Yet what has been presented so far appears shallow, hurried and lacking in institutional depth.

Was competence sacrificed for familiarity?

Was loyalty rewarded over qualification?

If so, that would be unfortunate for the future of student democracy.

The credibility of every electoral body depends on public trust.

That trust is built on neutrality.

Every member of ELCOM must be above suspicion.

Any individual occupying political offices outside ELCOM or associated with partisan interests should carefully evaluate whether their continued membership inspires confidence in the electoral process.

In democratic systems across the world, perception matters.

Justice must not only be done.

It must be seen to be done.

If there are legitimate concerns about neutrality, transparency and accountability demand that such concerns be openly addressed.

This conversation is not about personalities.

It is not about friendships.

It is not about political camps.

It is about whether students can trust the process.

The integrity of this election matters.

Because if students lose faith in their own electoral institutions, what moral authority will they have to demand accountability from Nigeria's political leaders?

There is still time.

ELCOM should immediately:

- Publish the full electoral timetable.

- Release detailed electoral guidelines.

- Clarify all constitutional provisions guiding the election.

- Explain all elective positions.

- Provide qualifications for each office.

- Establish transparent screening and appeal procedures.

This is not weakness.

This is leadership.

History does not remember electoral bodies that merely conducted elections.

History remembers those who defended democracy.

The University of Abuja deserves an ELCOM that understands that constitutions are not decorations.

They are binding.

The students deserve transparency.

The aspirants deserve fairness.

And democracy deserves better than hurried memoranda and unanswered questions.

Because at the end of the day, the greatest office in any election is not Chairman.

It is Trust.

And once trust is lost, victory itself becomes meaningless.