By Samuel SAM
Central University Students’ Representative Council (SRC) elections 2025 have become a defining moment in the institution’s history, marked by allegations of electoral malpractice, judicial interventions and a contentious leadership transition.
This year, regular students’ routine democratic exercise spiralled into a complex narrative of institutional challenges and constitutional debates, raising critical questions about student governance and administrative oversight.
Allegations and disqualifications
The controversies started right from onset as an initial online voting system was invalidated following serious allegations of email tampering.
In a pre-election investigation, the university management summoned two candidates, Jephtah Adjei and Lancelott Ben-Akiem, to address concerns of email manipulation. However, in a surprising turn of events, only Jephtah Adjei was barred from contesting, despite both candidates being under investigation. This decision set an unusual precedent and cast a shadow over the election’s credibility.
Judicial challenge
Dajonang Damyeni emerged victorious in the physical thumbprint elections held on February 1, 2025, with 496 votes representing 51.77 percent, narrowly defeating Lancelott Ben-Akiem, who secured 462 votes representing 48.22 percent.
With only 34 votes separating the candidates, the election reflected a deeply divided student body. However, the results were immediately challenged by Ben-Akiem who filed a petition alleging irregularities at the Kumasi Campus polling station, prompting a Judicial Council investigation.
The probe took an unexpected turn when audio recordings surfaced, revealing Ben-Akiem’s explicit attempts to manipulate voting figures in his favour. This evidence severely undermined his claims and shifted the focus of the investigation.
The Judicial Council delivered a decisive verdict that confirmed Damyeni as the legitimate President-elect. It also fined Ben-Akiem’s team GH₵10,000 for attempting to manipulate the electoral process. The ruling was widely seen as a victory for transparency and accountability, reinforcing the integrity of the SRC’s democratic processes.
Transition troubles
Despite the Judicial Council’s verdict, the transition to a new SRC leadership has been anything but smooth. Damyeni requested an extension for the handover ceremony on February 11, only for university management to cancel the planned event the following day. By February 17, management had established an interim leadership arrangement, further prolonging the uncertainty surrounding the SRC’s leadership.
This intervention sparked widespread criticism, with many students and stakeholders questioning the autonomy of student governance. The delay in transitioning power has been viewed as an overreach by university administration, undermining the students’ constitutional right to self-governance.
Tensions reached a boiling point during a critical meeting on February 24, which brought together university management, the Judicial Council, candidates and the Electoral Commission.
The meeting, which was intended to resolve the impasse, quickly turned confrontational with management representatives reportedly criticising the Judicial Council, suggesting that ‘proper people’ should be appointed in the future and questioning the council’s decision-making processes.
Most controversially, management proposed cancelling the Kumasi Campus election results without holding a re-election, a move that would mathematically benefit Ben-Akiem, the very candidate found guilty of electoral malpractice. This proposal was met with outrage, as it would effectively disenfranchise an entire campus of students.
The prolonged dispute has exposed deep-seated tensions between student governance autonomy and university management’s oversight.
The Judicial Council has consistently defended the SRC’s constitutional right to independent governance, emphasising the importance of allowing students to determine their leadership through democratic processes.
Current status
Dajonang Damyeni remains the Judicial Council-confirmed President-elect, though the transition to office continues to face administrative hurdles.
The situation has evolved from a local election into a broader exploration of democratic principles, institutional authority and student representation.
