St. Thomas Aquinas Old Boys' Association General Elections- A Battle of Ideas Or Financial Muscles

The St. Thomas Aquinas Old Boys' Association, popularly referred to as Old Toms went to the polls to elect its leaders on Sunday, 9th December, 2018 amidst a lot of controversies.

The elections had two camps contesting; Change Team and Change in Continuity. Members of the Change Team had enterprising young men led by a transformational leader who believes the limping association needs to decouple itself from archaic ways of running the association. The team presented a ten point manifesto to move the association to a lofty perch.

Contrary to the vision of the Change Team, the Change in Continuity believed that the association needs to have someone who possesses the experience to lead the association by voting the current Vice President of the association to lead the group. Unlike the Change Team, the Continuity Team had no manifesto to direct the path of the association.

Both the Change Team and the Change in Continuity Team must be commended for bringing dynamism into the association's elections which in the past had Old Toms display lukewarm attitudes toward it. Due to the innovative campaign tools used, almost all Old Toms got to know about the elections. This success should not be shelved, rather it should be enhanced in future elections.

Prior to the election, both camps were at each other's throat as to who deserved to lead the association and who was not fit to run for any of the positions. This resulted in verbal altercations and name callings which has caused an irreparable damage to the harmony both camps used to enjoy before the elections.

It must be put on record that, holding positions in the association comes with no remuneration. It is rather voluntary or sacrificial. Many Old Toms who are abreast with issues of the association will attest to it that, executives rather end up investing their resources into the association in order to keep it soul and body together. It is as a result of these challenges that many Old Toms have questioned whether the association is a gold mine because they believe that, voluntary work should not call for all the controversies the association has been bedeviled with in the past one month.

In the run up to the elections, the Electoral Commission released the guidelines for the election which later became a mantra, "No Dues No Vote". In the guideline, aspirants cum voters were supposed to be in good standing, that is either they had paid their dues or pay their dues to make them eligible to vote. This decision did not go down well with other members of the association who felt they were being discriminated against.

Others also were of the opinion that, with their contributions and support to the school and association over the years, it was unfair on the part of the Electoral Commission to use dues payment as the basis to disenfranchise them. They called for a review of the position of the Electoral Commission but all their " rants" fell on death ears.

Akin to any other election, this election was not bereft of irregularities. I applaud the Change Team for being vigilant in identifying the irregularities as regards proxy votes. Their ability to also intercept information on a cheque that was paid into the association's bank account for thirty voters is legendary. That's the hallmark of an effective and efficient campaign team. You don't leave anything to chance in an election else you risk losing to your opponent.

The Change in Continuity decided to play smart by depositing a cheque on 6th December, 2018 that will clear on 11th December, 2018 knowing very well that the next day was a holiday. They saw the loophole and exploited it. This, I wouldn't blame them so much. I lay the blame squarely at the door step of the Financial Controller who could have helped the conundrum by stating the balance of the association's bank account to quench any controversies. In my opinion, since the cheque would clear on 11th December, 2018, I state unequivocally that all those that the cheque catered for were unqualified to vote at the time of the election per the deadline in the guidelines because the money had not hit the account.

The success or otherwise of an election depends on an honest, firm, impartial and an independent Electoral Commission. I'm sorry to say that some of these virtues were non-existent in the Electoral Commission. The Commission failed to engage enough to explain explicitly its rules of engagement to both teams. The Change Team consistently called for an "IPAC" meeting for the aspirants to be brought up to speed with issues pertaining to the elections but all calls were declined. When the EC called for the meeting, it was a little too late. No competent EC calls for an "IPAC" meeting on the eve of the election because it would be highly impossible to deal with teething issues that will throw the election out of gear. It was not of a surprise to me when the meeting had to end without resolving all thorny issues as regards proxy voting and the cheque even after a respected member of the Commission espoused that since the dues had not hit the account, all the thirty people were deemed to have defaulted in dues payment. Some understood the communique released for the election differently whereas the Electoral Commission also had their interpretation.

The EC also failed woefully in delivering its mandate by telling all at the meeting that they would get back to aspirants on the issue of the cheque only for them to go contrary to their promise by announcing the date and time for the election. The EC in this instance disrespected and deceived the complainants by not resolving issues put before them before proceeding to organize the election.

The Change Team boycotted the elections via the communique they released. According to them, they did not want to be part of an illegality and it was within their rights. I would have tagged them as hypocrites if they had taken part in the elections after incessantly calling for the register to be cleaned. It must be put on record that, a member of the Change Team defied the boycott to run for the position of a Treasurer and he won. It was within his rights but it is a sign of betrayal to jump ship when you are part of a group that is fighting for a common interest. This defeats the purpose of getting things done properly.

Like all humans, the Change Team members are fallible. They could have won the elections without indulging in unnecessary brawls at the least provocation. The team sometimes brutely responded to issues which could have been decorously done. They should not forget that, in an election , the silent majority who are the king makers pay critical attention to such behaviours which will define their pattern of voting. It is advisable to be firm but being abrasive will court a lot of disaffection. That notwithstanding, their consistency in pushing for the annulment of the election has been remarkable. They have pulled no punches in their quest to get the results annulled.

The Change in Continuity should not bask in glory yet before their bubble bust. They nichodemously benefitted from the loopholes in the association. Their campaign was equally replete with unsavory remarks by slightly anyone who challenged them. They referred to the dissenting voices as small boys. Most of the Change in Continuity folks completed Aquinas in the 90s and as compared to the 2000s who have large classes, they are going to have it tough convincing them to buy into their ideas after degrading them.

They may think, they have outsmarted everyone with the issues of writing proxy letters without the express consent of those involved which the EC failed to scrutinize due to reasons best known to them, at the appropriate time when the dust settles, they will be in sixes and sevens. They have bought the election due to their deep pockets but they cannot buy the conscience of the good people of the association.

To the peace council calling for peace and asking for love to lead, your call is late or is in the wrong direction.There cannot be peace or love cannot lead when important issues have been left outstanding. People have legitimate concerns that have to be addressed lest we risk causing havoc to our dear association which is already wobbling on its knees.

Our patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas did not labour for us to dent his image. He stood for the truth and as our motto makes us to believe : The Truth Shall Set You Free. From what we are experiencing, the truth has been tattered and imprisoned by a selfish few who have decided to bury the truth in the face of glaring evidence.

I call on Old Toms, far and near to probe for the truth to save our association from the oppressors who will go the extra mile even if it will put their bank accounts in red to lead the association in order to boost their egos and lift them from their low esteem.

Aquinas is all that we have. Let us work assiduously in making it a haven for the ancient and modern. With humility and steadfastness, Aquinas will be the cynosure of all eyes.