After 9-years of suspension, UNILAG restores students’ union government

The University of Lagos has reinstated its Students’ Union Government (SUG) after a nine-year suspension, with the election of new student leaders for the 2025/2026 academic session.

The development was disclosed in a statement published on the university’s official website on Friday.

According to the statement, the institution conducted an election that produced the Students’ Union President and General Secretary as part of the transition process toward the full restoration of the union.

The election was coordinated by the Directorate of Student Affairs under the leadership of the Dean, Johnson Agunsoye, and was held at the Common Room of Moremi Hall on the university campus.

University authorities explained that the officers were elected from among the current set of faculty presidents, in accordance with guidelines established for the transition process toward restoring the union.

“At the end of the exercise, Bolaji Akinpelu of the Faculty of Arts emerged as the President with a total of nine votes while Daniel Solomon of the Faculty of Computing and Informatics was elected General Secretary with nine votes,” the statement read.

The election marks the first major step in re-establishing student representation within the institution after nearly a decade without a functioning students’ union.

Speaking on the conduct of the election, Agunsoye said the exercise fulfilled a promise made by the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Folasade Ogunsola, to facilitate the return of the Students’ Union Government.

According to him, the restoration of the union is intended to strengthen student participation in governance and prepare them for leadership roles.

“The restoration of the union is intended not only to provide a platform for the student population to express their views, but also to prepare students for leadership responsibilities and encourage them to become solution-driven leaders,” he said.

9news Nigeria reports that the Students’ Union Government had been suspended since April 24, 2016, when the university senate dissolved the union and indefinitely suspended its constitution.

At the time, the management said the decision followed student protests and unrest that disrupted academic activities and threatened peace on campus.

The protests were linked to student grievances over poor electricity and water supply within the university community.

The decision to dissolve the union drew strong criticism from student organisations, including the National Association of Nigerian Students.

The group and other student bodies staged protests against the rustication of some student leaders who were involved in the demonstrations.

Student groups accused the university management of suppressing students’ voices and restricting their right to express grievances.

However, the university maintained that the suspension was necessary to restore order and ensure uninterrupted academic activities.

In 2024, Vice-Chancellor Ogunsola assured student leaders and other stakeholders that the university had begun steps to reinstate the Students’ Union Government.

She emphasised at the time that student governance plays a vital role in creating a vibrant academic environment and promoting student welfare.