The David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, Ebonyi State, has conducted its Students' Union Government (SUG) election through a Computer-Based Test (CBT) voting platform,and described the exercise as a first-of-its-kind innovation in Nigeria's university system.
The digital election, which was completed within a few hours, was widely applauded by students and stakeholders for its transparency, credibility and efficiency, with results displayed electronically in real time immediately after voting ended.
Presenting Certificates of Return to Comrade Ujebe Ebere Lacrist, the newly elected SUG executives, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Jesse Uneke, said the institution developed the digital voting platform to eliminate the irregularities associated with conventional elections while ensuring that only duly registered students participated in the process.
According to him, the voting platform was integrated into the university's examination portal, enabling eligible students to log in with their registration details and cast their votes securely.
"When I told them that I was going to conduct a kind of election that had never been done in any university, they thought I was joking. We developed a system whereby students used the examination portal to vote," Uneke said.
He explained that all contestants were screened before the election, while each voter was required to access the ballot through the CBT portal, adding that the system automatically logged out any student who failed to vote within 10 minutes.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the electronic voting process guaranteed transparency and credibility, describing the exercise as another milestone in the university's commitment to innovation and good governance.
"I am excited because this election was exceptional. This university is setting the pace," he said, adding that the inauguration of the newly elected SUG executives would take place next week.
The Special Assistant to the Ebonyi State Governor on Students' Affairs, Mr. Joshua Nwafor, commended the university management for introducing what he described as an unprecedented electoral process.
He said the CBT voting model demonstrated the institution's commitment to transparency and accountability, noting that he had not witnessed such an electoral process in any Nigerian university.
"I want to specially commend the Vice-Chancellor and the principal officers of DUFUHS for conducting a transparent, free and credible SUG election. I have never seen this kind of electoral process in any university. This is the first of its kind in Nigeria," Nwafor stated.
Students who participated in the election also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, describing it as peaceful, transparent and hitch-free.
The newly elected SUG President, Ujebe Ebere Lacristo, described the election as a landmark achievement for the university, pledging to lead an administration anchored on transparency, accountability and purposeful leadership.
He said the successful conduct of the digital election had placed DUFUHS on the national map as a model for innovation in campus governance.
Other students, including Nwobasi Patrick and Ani Chinonso, commended the university for ensuring a seamless voting process, noting that students turned out in large numbers while election results were displayed live on television screens for everyone to monitor, further boosting confidence in the credibility of the exercise.
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