By Chiekezie Emmanuel, Joseph Joy and Timothy Nwobodo, Agbani o

The Staff Advuser, ESUT Monitor Newspaper, Comrade Amaechi Agbo has been appointed the Acting Chairman, National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT Branch.

Mr Agbo’s appointment came after the NAAT-ESUT 2024 elections failed to hold on Thursday

The election which held at the Senate Chambers of the university, was rescheduled to hold not later than three months after the National President of the union, Comrade Hon Ibeji Nwokoma said that the contestants failed to meet the constitutional requirements for the election to go ahead.

Com Nwokoma pointed out that with only one contestant meeting the 70% attendance required by the Constitution, the election would be deferred to a later date in the year.

“Already, the NEC (National Executive Council) have grantd two waivers to the branch because they are Electoral Guidelines, however, any issue concerning the constitution, cannot be tampered with by anybody. It is very sad that the contestants didn’t meet the constitutional requirement on attendance. The 70% attendance is sacrosanct.

“And with the dissolution of the executive council of the brach already, there will be no vacuum. The persons who got less than 70% attendance can’t contest and one person cannot constitute the Executive Council of the branch.

“In view of the above, we are going to set up a five-man Caretaker Committee to oversee the affairs of the branch for he next three months. Members of the Electoral Committee ELECO are also members of of the Caretaker Committee, we will appoint two more members to join them.

“While waiting for the constitution of the Caretaker Committee, the ELECO Chairman will, in the meantime, be the Acting Chairman of the Branch until a letter from NEC on the composition of the Caretaker Committee and appointment of Chairman and Secretary is made,” he said

The President further directed that the branch election must hold not later than December 12, 2024.

Earlier, the ELECO Chairman, Comrade Amaechi Agbo had told the congress that only nine contestants were screed by the ELECO of which one person fulfilled he 70% requirement on attendance.

Speaking after his appointment, Comrade Agbo thanked the National President for upholding the constitution and commended members for their turn up in the election, he urged them to remain steadfast in the quest to reposition the union and announced that a congress will be held on Thursday, September 19, 2024

Over 70 members of NAAT-ESUT members were screed for the election