Funmilola Adediji

Election is an important pillar of politics. Without it, there won’t be a good political scene. As a key component of any administration, elections are held to elect people suitable for political positions. The purpose of an election is undeniably a great way to shape political happenings and the actions of those involved in politics. Election includes voting which is central, but other aspects as regards election are very significant in politics. The election process includes an independent body ” electoral committee” saddled with the responsibility of conducting a transparent election. Among all the aims of conducting an election, one stands out which is ensuring competency. The candidate’s competency is evaluated through different processes like the manifesto night and the press night to ensure that candidates are competent enough for the position they are vying for.

In accordance with the constitution of the National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies {NASELS}, vacant executive positions after the election will be occupied by members of the association through a bye-election (a special election held for vacant positions). Meanwhile,  during the last election, some of the executive positions were left vacant, with no members who vied for the position. Among the vacant positions are crucial offices which play key aspects in the administration of the association. These offices include the office of the Financial Secretary, Sports Director, Treasurer, and Assistant general secretary.

It should be noted that these vacant positions are very vital for the growth of the association. Regarding their level of importance, these posts should be quite competitive with different members interested in the position, but the reverse is the case in the NASELS. Key offices are overlooked by many; most people seem ignorant of the effects of such actions on the association.

Without mincing words, the effects of the vacant positions and the compulsory need for a bye-election can’t be overemphasized. The apathetic nature of most NASELSITES is widely known. A by-election is good, but the procedure of an actual election process is unparalleled. There were vital offices that didn’t have aspirants during the election. In an ideal scenario, these are positions that should have many aspirants with different manifesto and leadership skills, goals, and aims, so as to enable proper scrutinizing of the candidates and to ensure that people can make the right choices. 

The vacant positions cannot be left unoccupied, necessitating a by-election to select people for these positions. However, a by-election differs from the actual election. For the by-election, some aspirants might just see it as an opportunity to join the association administration, with little or no goal and purpose for the Position they are vying for. Many take advantage of the vacant positions despite a lack of competency and knowledge of their duties and responsibilities. Many would ask if they would be voted in, and certainly, they would be voted in. Many aspirants will remain unopposed, which is not healthy for the association. In a case where you have other people contesting, there would be healthy competition, which would trigger many to speed up their games by preparing a convincing manifesto and knowing well that their duties and responsibilities must be delivered. Many would be compelled to do more and not take things with levity. But in a case where there are no competitors the reverse would be the case.

Regarding the members of the association who also have vital roles to play in the by-election, many would not feel the need to check the competency of the aspirants, because many only care about the position being occupied. On the part of other members, they let their sentiment rule, knowing that a candidate is not competent enough but because of their affiliation they allow things like classmate, friend, or gender to be the ground for choosing a candidate. And on the part of many, they are not interested in the election process or the outcome of the election.

The vacant positions should be regarded as crucial, and deserving of everyone’s active participation. Important positions shouldn’t be without aspirants during the actual election, which would make things work out better and ensure competence and effectiveness. If all the offices have aspirants during the election, then these aspirants would be subjected to thorough scrutiny. Most people are more engaged in the main election than the by-election, so they do their research on the aspirants and ensure that they vote wisely, unlike the by-election in which there are no choices. If those elected in the by-election are not carefully chosen, achieving the best results will not be feasible. If those who are to bring the changes are without knowledge or skills, then there would be no impactful changes. Then, it is high time we started coming to the realisation that the success of the association is supposed to be a collective one. It needs to be emphatically spelt out that the association needs the support and participation of everyone who is a financial and legal member of it.