The Oxford Union’s president-elect has been removed from his position following a no-confidence vote triggered by his controversial reaction to the fatal shooting of US conservative figure Charlie Kirk. The society confirmed that the motion to dismiss George Abaraonye surpassed the necessary two-thirds majority, effectively ending his tenure.
This decision follows reports that Mr. Abaraonye posted on social media in a manner that appeared to endorse the attack on Kirk, who was fatally shot while speaking at a university in Utah. Mr. Abaraonye has challenged the legitimacy of the vote, alleging that those campaigning for his removal had “unsupervised access” to the email system used for proxy voting.
Charlie Kirk, a prominent right-wing activist and close associate of former US President Donald Trump, was tragically killed during the incident. According to the Telegraph, Mr. Abaraonye shared an Instagram message stating, “Charlie Kirk got shot loool,” a distorted form of the internet slang “lol,” meaning “laughing out loud.” Additionally, he reportedly expressed approval of the event in a WhatsApp group chat with fellow students.
Last week, Mr. Abaraonye himself initiated the no-confidence motion, with voting conducted over the weekend. Donovan Lock, the extraordinary returning officer, announced on Tuesday that 1,228 votes supported the motion, while 501 opposed it. Following Oxford Union’s regulations, this outcome was interpreted as Mr. Abaraonye’s resignation.
However, the vote count was temporarily suspended early Monday amid reports that the returning officer faced “obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility” from several representatives, according to an official notice. In response, Mr. Abaraonye stated that the suspension was due to electoral officials’ concerns over “procedural failures” that prevented a “legitimate and true result.” He firmly denied any involvement by his appointed representatives in disruptive or intimidating conduct.
The statement also revealed that the matter had been escalated to the disciplinary committee and that Mr. Abaraonye still considered himself the president-elect. He expressed gratitude for the support of a significant majority of Oxford students who voted for a fair election and opposed attempts to undermine democratic processes.
The Oxford Union has indicated that the final outcome will remain pending any formal complaints or allegations submitted for review. Critics argue that retaining Mr. Abaraonye would send a damaging message, suggesting the Union prioritizes political ideology over ethical standards.
On Friday, Mikey McCoy, former chief of staff to Charlie Kirk, publicly addressed the Oxford Union via The Charlie Kirk Show podcast. He read an open letter condemning the Union for allowing its president to seemingly celebrate the assassination of a political adversary. The letter warned that if Mr. Abaraonye remains in office, Kirk’s supporters would reach out to every American political speaker who has appeared at the Union, urging them to dissociate from an institution that has betrayed its foundational principles.
Last month, the Oxford Union publicly denounced Mr. Abaraonye’s comments following Kirk’s death and confirmed that complaints against him had been forwarded for disciplinary action. Subsequently, the Union also condemned the racial abuse and threats directed at Mr. Abaraonye. Notably, he was among several students who engaged in debate with Kirk at the Union in May.
0 Comments