The UI student union held a congress on Saturday, 20th of September, 2025. The congress was held to discuss some major issues that affect the university as a whole.
The meeting started around some minutes past ten with the roll call of all hostels present at the Congress by the students' union president, Odedele Covenant, after which he proceeded to give reports on past projects which his administration has achieved so far, and some of the projects include the freshers' week, creation of a help desk for freshers, tutorials and mock exams for freshers.
He then spoke about the efforts of his administration in the extension of the school fee deadline. He also spoke about how his administration assisted in the payment of some students' school fees with a sum of 2 million naira, which was obtained from the students' union dues.
Clarifying how the money was obtained, he stated that all the money students pay through remittance goes to the TSA account and that the Central Bank of Nigeria has a vault into which each federal institution pays into the TSA, and this is where the remittance of funds and dues came from.He also mentioned that when the money was to be disbursed, it was disbursed from the funds in the TSA account, which was domiciled in the CBN, through the union dues, which were obtained from the school management.
After the president had read out the past projects, questions about some pressing issues were asked by some students, which include: to what extent is the press allowed to release news about the union, and what are those measures put in place to see to it that the news is verified?The president went ahead to answer that the press is the fourth estate of the government, so it is left to them to see to it that whatever they publish is verified.
Another student asked a question about the students that were assisted with their fees, saying that The numbers quoted about the students differ on different occasions from the president; he said the president during an interview quoted that 35 students were helped, while it was quoted during the audit that 40 students were assisted, and at the Congress the president is saying that 37 students were assisted.
To this the president gave the answer that the recorded number was 37, but students later came in late, and they had to help them. Also, a question was raised about whether there can be an extension in the time of movement of transportation services on the campus from 9pm. The president answered by stating that the reason for that time of stoppage movement is for security reasons; however, there are measures put in place to test run the extension to about 10:30pm.
Also, some students came out to make claims that there are times that press releases carry mistakes, to which a press member responds that if there are mistakes with publications from the press, then people have the right to contact the editor-in-chief of the press organisation for the mistakes to be corrected; after all, the press are answerable to the public.There was also a call for the treasurer to defend himself against an allegation against him about money he received into his personal account.
The treasurer came out to say that there are provisions under the constitution that authorise him to receive money into his account under some conditions. After questions had been asked and answered, the president went ahead to read out things to expect from the union including the union week, which will commence on the 11th of October; minor and major renovations of plumbing facilities in all hostels; continuation of the light-up UI project; support and welfare initiatives for students; and the renovations of the students' union building.
The president later adjourned the Congress till further notice.
