BY: PRESS COUNCIL
The much-anticipated State of the Union 5.0, an annual program organized by the Press Council of The Polytechnic, Ibadan designed to give students the opportunity to hold their elected leaders accountable suffered a major setback as the entire Student Union Government (SUG) failed to make themselves available, a move that has left many students feeling disregarded and sidelined.
The forum, billed to hold physically at the Press Council Secretariat on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025, was clearly communicated in an official invitation letter dated August 27th, 2025. The letter stated that the engagement was to be a physical program for the SUG leadership, while the wider student populace would follow online through virtual channels.
Despite this clarity, the Student Union Government were absent. Even more troubling to students was the silence of the Student Representative Council (SRC), who also failed to appear or formally notify the organizers of their absence.
What has made students curious the most is the sequence of events leading to the boycott. The Students Union Government claim they believed it was strictly virtual and would therefore not be available for the physical session.
This explanation, paired with the absence of both the executive and legislative arms of leadership, has been widely interpreted as a deliberate attempt to avoid accountability from the very students who elected them.
For many, the no-show was not just about logistics but about respect and responsibility.
“This is a slap in the face of every student who trusted their words,” said one visibly angry student. “They told us about welfare and inclusion, but when it time to answer questions, they suddenly became unavailable.”
The State of the Union was meant to center on key issues such as student welfare, representation, inclusivity, and community engagement an opportunity for leaders to highlight progress and challenges. Their absence, however, left those concerns unaddressed and has sparked fresh doubts about the sincerity of both the SUG and the SRC.
Press Council shares part of the blame, as they reportedly failed to conduct a proper follow-up that could have reinforced the importance and format of the event.
In response to the disappointment, the Press Council has assured the student body that another date will be fixed for the program, emphasizing that accountability will not be swept aside.
As the dust settles, the pressing question across campus remains: If student leaders cannot show up when called, what then becomes of the promises.
About The Author
