Sociology and Anthropology Wins Six of 10 FOSSSA Seats After Disputed Election.
By Ebubechukwu Onyekwelu.
Sociology and Anthropology students at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, won six of the 10 available positions in the Faculty of Social Sciences Students’ Association (FOSSSA) election, including the presidency. Results were released on September 22, 2026, four days after voting was suspended over suspected unauthorised access to students’ accounts.
Onunwa Raphael Nwabueze of Sociology and Anthropology won the presidency with 721 votes, or 51.4 per cent, according to results displayed on the university’s school portal, defeating Kalu Ebueme Henry of Political Science, who polled 681 votes, representing 48.6 per cent.
Sociology and Anthropology also produced five other winners: Nwafor Blessing Ujunwa, who won Assistant Secretary with 1,031 votes; Chukwuamagwo Ugochukwu Venatius, who won Financial Secretary with 673 votes; Victor Prosper Attah, who won Director of Socials with 772 votes; Chukwuji Anthony Chidera, who won Director of Sports with 756 votes; and Ekweoba Michael Chukwudi, who won Provost with 646 votes.
Economics candidates took three positions. Udemadu Yvonne Chimamanda won Vice President with 708 votes, Egemba Jacinta Chiemerie won Secretary with 662 votes, and Ubammadu Chukwuebuka Divine won Public Relations Officer unopposed with 883 votes. Ngaha Irish Ugochi of Political Science won Treasurer unopposed with 798 votes.
The election was originally scheduled for September 15, 2026. In a memorandum that day, FOSSSAEC chairman Comr. Okwarachukwu Emmanuel announced the vote had been “shifted to 18th September, 2026, as confirmed by the Dean of Student Affairs (DSA),” with campaign activities extended to end “on 17th September, 2026 at exactly 11:59 PM.”
Voting began on September 18 through the university’s online portal but was suspended after students reported irregularities. A pop-up notification shown to an affected student in the faculty read: “Unfortunately, none of your votes could be submitted,” listing positions including Financial Secretary, President, Secretary, Director of Sports, Director of Socials and Assistant Secretary, each flagged with the message, “You have already voted for this position.”
Following the suspension, the FOSSSA Senate House constituted an Election Tribunal to handle disputes arising from the vote. In a memo, the Senate House named Micheal Onyekachi Kelvin of Political Science as chairman, alongside Madu Vincent Onyedikachi of Psychology as registrar and two other members from Sociology and Economics.
The Provost, Comr. Okoli Kyrian Chidiebere, petitioned the Senate House against the tribunal’s constitution. In the petition, Chidiebere argued that the Dean of Students’ Affairs had “already assured stakeholders that the issues surrounding the election are being investigated” and that a second body addressing the same matters risked “overlapping processes.”
Chidiebere also said the tribunal, drawn from a faculty of five departments, did “not adequately represent all five departments,” and raised concerns about its chairman, the incumbent Senate President, who he said was “reportedly seen publicly expressing support” for the presidential candidate and other candidates from his department during the election. He asked the Senate House to “reconsider and suspend the present constitution of the Election Tribunal pending clarification,” and called for any successor panel to be “headed by individuals whose neutrality and impartiality are beyond reasonable question.”
Results were eventually released four days after the suspension, in the early hours of September 22.
On the same day results were released, the FOSSSA Election Tribunal issued a memorandum inviting complaints and petitions regarding the election, directing students to channel concerns to the Tribunal through a designated WhatsApp number.
A 400-level Sociology and Anthropology student, who asked not to be named, said the department’s push into this year’s election followed a previous cycle in which it felt shut out of faculty politics. “We were cheated and excluded from faculty politics for an entire section,” she said, adding that representatives who did hold positions “had no real voice, and no authority in the Faculty House when important decisions were being made.”
She said the department had originally considered contesting only the presidency before broadening its ambitions. “We decided that this time, we were coming back stronger,” she said.
During the manifesto session, held on Google Meet on September 14, she said network problems on the rival camp’s end limited scrutiny of the opposing presidential candidate, while their own candidate faced sustained questioning. “We were not hearing anything from our opponent… due to poor network from his side,” she said.
Reflecting on the final result, she said the win extended beyond the positions themselves. “We were excluded yesterday, but today, we have a seat at the table,” she said. “This victory is bigger than just winning positions. It is about representation, participation, and having a voice where decisions are made.”
The Nigeria Sociological/Anthropological Students Association (NSASA), Nnamdi Azikiwe University Chapter, issued a congratulatory letter to its six successful candidates on September 22, signed by its Executive President, Giant Comr. Olisa Ebuka Hillary, and countersigned by the department’s Head of Sociology, Prof. Kelechi Kenneth, and staff adviser Dr. Obinna Okeke.
Efforts to reach Kalu Ebueme Henry and the FOSSSA Election Tribunal chairman for comment were unsuccessful. Neither had responded as of press time.
