The Akwa Ibom State University has officially released guidelines for the upcoming Student Union Executive and Parliamentary elections for the 2025/2026 academic session. The elections are set to take place on Friday, March 6, 2026, with key activities leading up to the main voting day.

According to the guidelines, the electoral process will begin with a screening exercise for all aspirants. Candidates for the positions of President and Secretary General must have a minimum CGPA of 3.50, while those for other executive offices and parliamentary seats must have a CGPA of 3.00 and above.

The screening, conducted by the Electoral Commission, is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 10:00 am at the Students' Affairs Division on the Main Campus, Ikot Akpaden. Immediately after, at 12 noon on the same day, all aspirants must present themselves to the Chief Security Officer for a mandatory security clearance.

The university has prohibited any form of pre-elections or stakeholder consensus at the departmental or faculty level once the official election notice has been given. Strict rules on campaigning have also been enforced; any candidate who campaigns before the ban on political activities is lifted, or whose supporters do so, risks disqualification. Campaigning is strictly prohibited on the day of the election itself.

The guidelines outline procedures for election agents and observers. Aspirants must submit the names and passport photographs of their agents to the Secretary of the Electoral Commission three days before the election. Election observers must apply for and obtain clearance from the Commission one week prior to the election date.

Candidates are scheduled to present their manifestos on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the TETFund PAV I, Ikot Akpaden. The election will be conducted via E-Voting on Friday, March 6, 2026.

This announcement follows a previous directive from the university mandating all faculties and departments to conduct fresh student elections and swear in new executives before January 31, 2026, with warnings of penalties for non-compliance.