Student Society President-Elect Removed Due to Conservative Activist Comments

Student society event
The activist and student leader took part in a discussion at the Oxford Union in May

The president-elect of the prestigious debating society has been ousted from office after losing a no-confidence vote that came after his controversial online comments about Charlie Kirk.

The vote against the student leader achieved the necessary super-majority to remove him from office, according to an statement from the society.

Contentious Posts

The controversy erupted after Mr Abaraonye reportedly shared messages on social media that appeared to celebrate the death of Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead while addressing a university in Utah.

According to sources, one Instagram post reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an elongated version of the phrase 'lol'.

The president-elect is also said to have posted in a messaging group with fellow students seeming to welcome the incident.

Election Results

The no-confidence motion took place over the weekend, with outcomes announced on this week.

Official notices showed that over twelve hundred votes were cast in favor of no confidence, while 501 were opposed the motion.

The notice confirmed that the future president was considered to have resigned in following the society's regulations.

Oxford Union announcement
The Oxford Union shared the result of the confidence motion on Tuesday morning

Election Controversies

Proceedings were informally suspended early on the previous day after the election official was allegedly subjected to "interference, threats, and inappropriate behavior" from several representatives.

In a response, the student asserted that the vote tally had been stopped because electoral officials believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His statement categorically refuted that any person appointed by the student had participated in intimidating or disruptive behavior.

Ongoing Dispute

The student stated that significant concerns had been referred to the governing body and that he remained president-elect.

His comment added that George was "grateful and honored to have the backing of well in excess of a majority of students at Oxford" who supported a "secure voting process and resist attempts to subvert democracy".

Critics have argued that any failure to remove him would "demonstrate internationally that the Oxford Union has prioritized politics over principles".

Conservative activist
Charlie Kirk was shot dead while speaking at a university in last month

External Reactions

On Friday, Kirk's former chief of staff read out an open letter to the Oxford Union on The Charlie Kirk Show broadcast.

The message accused the society of becoming a place where "presidents of the union publicly celebrate the killing of a political opponent".

The statement indicated that if the student were to keep his position, Kirk's allies would "directly reach out to every American political speaker who has ever graced the union's chamber and advise them against future participation".

The Oxford Union had earlier condemned Mr Abaraonye's remarks after the activist's killing and stated that complaints submitted about him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.

The student leader had been one of several students to discuss with Kirk at the union in May.

Mark Kelley
Mark Kelley

A passionate historian and licensed Vatican tour guide with over a decade of experience sharing the wonders of sacred sites.