By: Ajayi Daniel
The Senate arm of the Association of Veterinary Medical Students has temporarily suspended the Financial Secretary, Owologba Ariakpoze from her duties, subject to further investigations by the financial committee of the Senate over allegations relating to the management of the association’s finances.
This decision was made at the Senate sitting, held yesterday, 29th July, 2026, at the 500-level class. This came on the back of the report submitted by the audit committee, led by Comrade Taiwo Adeyemo, which reported discrepancies in the management of finances as it pertains to the association.
The report highlighted an unreconciled amount of money, pegged at #94,500. Further probe also revealed that the Secretary had transferred money from the association's account into her personal account.
Responding to the concerns, the Finance Minister explained that the transfer was made to enable payments to vendors supplying merchandise. According to her, the association’s corporate account posed transaction challenges at the time, as cheque books were unavailable and direct electronic banking options could not be accessed.
Addressing the ₦94,500 discrepancy, she stated that the relevant receipts were not immediately available during the sitting but assured the Senate that efforts were being made to recover them. She added that most of the transactions involved refunds made to members of the association.
As of press time, the Financial Secretary has submitted the concerned receipts to the committee for verification and further investigations.
Controversy, however, ensued when a motion was raised for the suspension. The Senate President, Comrade Taiwo Adbulbasit, allegedly failed to comply with the votes of the majority, as required when making a major decision in the house. He chose to uphold the motion for suspension despite the majority of the senators voting against it, undermining constitutional requirements and fairness.
The Senate, in a letter addressed to the press, mentioned that the resolution was taken solely as an "interim administrative measure to facilitate a fair, impartial, and unhindered investigative process, and should not be construed as a determination of guilt".
The audit review also shone light on financial records from other offices. The Director of Health and Welfare faced scrutinity over inconsistencies in some submitted receipts. In his defense, he explained that he personally financed parts of certain projects while simultaneously handling expenses on behalf of the association, leading to difficulties in separating personal contributions from official expenditures.
Another unresolved issue was the matter of books inherited from the previous administration. Senators noted that several books from the tenure of the immediate past president remain unaccounted for. Efforts to reach the former president for clarification have so far proved unsuccessful.
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