🔗 Share this article

The future president of the prestigious debating society has been removed from his position after failing a vote of confidence that followed his disputed online comments about Charlie Kirk.

The motion against the student leader reached the required super-majority to oust him from his position, according to an announcement from the society.

Disputed Comments

The controversy erupted after Mr Abaraonye reportedly shared messages on social media that appeared to celebrate the killing of the American conservative figure, who was fatally shot while speaking at a university in Utah.

According to reports, one Instagram post reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an extended form of the phrase 'lol'.

The president-elect is also reported to have posted in a WhatsApp chat with other members seeming to welcome the incident.

Election Results

The no-confidence motion took place over the recent days, with outcomes announced on Tuesday.

Official notices showed that over twelve hundred votes were cast supporting no confidence, while just over five hundred were opposed the motion.

The notice confirmed that the president-elect was considered to have resigned in accordance with the Oxford Union's rules.

Election Controversies

Voting operations were informally suspended early on Monday after the election official was allegedly subjected to "obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility" from several representatives.

In a statement, Mr Abaraonye claimed that the vote tally had been halted because election administrators believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His statement categorically refuted that any representative appointed by George had engaged in threatening or obstructive conduct.

Ongoing Dispute

The president-elect maintained that significant concerns had been submitted to the disciplinary committee and that he remained president-elect.

His statement added that George was "grateful and honored to have the backing of well in excess of a majority of university members" who voted to have a "safe election and resist attempts to subvert democracy".

Critics have argued that any decision to keep him would "demonstrate internationally that the Oxford Union has chosen ideology over integrity".

External Responses

On recently, Mikey McCoy presented an public message to the Oxford Union on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast.

The letter criticized the union of becoming a place where "presidents of the union openly applaud the killing of a political opponent".

The statement warned that if Mr Abaraonye were to remain in post, supporters would "personally contact every U.S. political figure who has ever graced the union's chamber and advise them against future participation".

The society had previously condemned the student's comments after the activist's killing and confirmed that concerns submitted about him had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.

The student leader had been one of multiple members to debate with Kirk at the union in May.