By Amaechi Agbo

The 2026 Deanship Elections in ESUT across all 14 faculties on Monday produced both expected and unevisaged outcomes.

At the Faculty of Management Sciences, incumbent Dean, Prof Uchenna Ugwuanyi, was re-elected with a massive margin.

The Professor of Accounting was returned for a second term after polling 71 votes to beat his rival, Prof Jude Udenta, who got 7 votes.

Shortly after the election, Prof Ugwuanyi, in his acceptance speech, vowed to consolidate the gains of his first tenure and promised to run an inclusive administration.

On his part, Prof Udenta congratulated the Dean and promised to offer ideas on how to run the faculty.

In the Faculty of Education where Prof Ike Oluka presided as the Chief Electoral Officer, Prof Chika Ukwuaba got elected as the new Dean with 58 votes while her fellow contestant, Prof John O. Odoh trailed with 17 votes.

At the Faculty of Agriculture, the “unexpected” happened as incumbent Dean, Prof Emeka Nzeh, lost his second-term bid.

Prof Ikechukwu Okoye was declared the winner of the election with 9 votes, while Prof Nzeh got 6.

The Faculty of Engineering, with three contestants including a female engineer, Prof Ebere Ameh, Prof Patrick Ejikeme, and Prof Onuama, the election produced Prof Ejikeme as the winner with 34 votes.

His votes were three more than those of Prof Ameh, who had 31, while Prof Onuama got 3 votes.

The Faculty of Law was not without drama as no winner emerged during the election, which was consequently declared inconclusive by the electoral officer.

At the conclusion of the election, both candidates, Prof Osita Nnamani and Prof Chukwuemeka Obeagu, were tied at 12 votes each.

The Chief Returning Officer of the elections, Prof Chike Nwoha, who is also the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, told the ESUT Monitor that the management will meet to take a decision on the political logjam in the faculty.

The election in the Faculty of Social Sciences was seamless as Prof Okey Oji, who was chosen to succeed the former Dean, Prof Nicholas Attamah, was the sole candidate for the election.

It was a similar scenario in the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences as incumbent Dean, Prof Humphrey Nwobodo, was returned elected as the sole candidate.

In the same vein, the Faculty of Biological Sciences produced Prof Cosmas Achikanu as the sole candidate for the election.

At the Faculty of Physical Sciences, four gladiators showcased their political braggadocio as Prof Gabriel Ugwu was given a run for his position, navigating a political onslaught by three other heavyweights to resecure his seat.

Prof Ugwu polled 25 votes to scale the hurdles and reoccupy his seat, leaving his challengers, Prof Mishark Nnabuchi with 11 votes, Prof Chinelo Igwenagu with 6, and Prof Azubuike Ugwoke with a solitary vote.

At the College of Medicine, an election was conducted only in the Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, which returned Prof Ikenna Ndu as Dean after he emerged as the sole candidate.

However, the Faculties of Clinical Medicine and Basic Medical Science did not participate in the elections as their respective Deans will be appointed by the management, likewise the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The 2026 ESUT Deanship Elections were smooth, seamless, and transparent, with the new and returning Deans expected to serve their faculties for the next two academic sessions.