"...this argument of the leadership we have, I agree, is abnormal and I legitimized it..." - Former Dean of Student Affairs

Former acting Dean of Student Affairs of the Institute, Mr. David Dankwa Apawu has admitted the installation of new SRC executives was what one could describe illegitimate but it was under an abnormal situation.

Speaking on Radio GIJ's Morning Dew earlier today, he said the action taken to have a vetting and appointment of executives was a good solution to go by especially as we currently do not have much time on our hands as it stands. 

Mr. Apawu is the immediate-past Acting Dean of Students

"So, we need to look at the calendar clearly. We need to look at the situation. If we were in normal times, we wouldn't be having this conversation on the phone. So that is what we want people to appreciate but my challenge is that some people do not want to accept that we are not in normal times. They want to eat their cake and still have it but we have to accept that times have changed. Times have become abnormal and we have to take abnormal decisions. So this argument of the leadership we have, I agree, is abnormal and I legitimized it because we are not in normal times. So abnormal times require abnormal decisions."

According to Mr. Apawu, there were a number of meetings with interested parties in this matter and the vetting and appointments of new executives came out as the best option.

He noted that all the interaction that came up with the interested parties whom he described a the "political class" could also be faulted as illegal or unconstitutional because the GIJ-SRC constitution once again does not recognize any group like that but because there was a situation to tackle, such meetings had to go on. 

Options such as e-voting were vehemently rejected and that led to the inability to be able to settle on any other means but the vetting and appointment process.

He further noted it will be equally unconstitutional to have elections conducted this semester as the constitution is clear on when elections must be held. 

On this background, he believes that calls seeking to pin the new administration as illegitimate is equally problematic.

Mr. Apawu went on to question how if elections should happen, the institute is going to have two separate elections within the same year. 

He finally advised that eventough students could reject the current leadership, there is the need to have a look at the bigger picture. 

"We have a choice to accept or reject but there is the need to look at the bigger picture and be ready to accept the consequences thereof" he said.