Tamale, 22nd April 2025 — The Judicial Board of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the University for Development Studies, Tamale Campus, convened on Tuesday afternoon to hear a constitutional petition brought forth by Mr. Alhassan Abdul Somed. The hearing, held at the ICT Lecture Hall, was presided over by Justice Edward Etse Aloryito, and addressed a legal dispute surrounding Mr. Somed’s disqualification from the ongoing UDS-TLC SRC elections.
Mr Somed, through his legal counsel, Barrister Apiiga invoked the original constitutional jurisdiction of the Board under Articles 1(A) & (B) of C.I. 22, Articles 26 (A) & (J), 27, and 35 (1 & 2) of the UDS SRC Constitution, challenging the legality of his disqualification by the UDS-TLC SRC Electoral Commission.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court granted an interlocutory injunction on the matter. However, the bench, in its directive, clarified that the injunction was limited in scope and applied strictly to the portfolio for which the plaintiff was contesting. Other portfolios were permitted to proceed with their respective electoral activities.
The public hearing saw intense legal arguments between the plaintiff’s counsel and representatives of the Electoral Commission. After a prolonged back and forth, the judicial board concluded that the plaintiff’s disqualification was unlawful.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Edward Etse Aloryito held that the Electoral Commission acted ultra vires, exceeding its mandate under the SRC Constitution. As a result, the court ordered the reinstatement of Mr. Alhassan Abdul Somed in the UDS-TLC SRC election race.
The court’s decision underscores the critical role of the Judicial Board in ensuring electoral justice and constitutional compliance within student governance structures. The ruling is expected to have significant implications for the conduct of the upcoming SRC elections at the Tamale Campus.
Reported by Kweku Abeeku Faraday