THE YOBE STATE LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION CONSTITUTION

MOTTO: PROMOTION OF UNITY AND THE SPIRIT OF ADVOCACY

AMENDED : MARCH, 2023.

CONSTITUTION OF THE YOBE STATE LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION

PREAMBLE
We, the Yobe State Law students, Ahmadu Bello University, having witnessed the
much desired need for unity of efforts among Yobe State Law Students studying in the
University, have resolved to form a union exclusively to accomplish this objective.

AND WHERE AS
The said association has been formed purely on democratic basic, to provide an av-
enue
through which policies and prospects shall be duly formulated, programmed and exe-
cuted.
BE IT RESOLVED SOLEMNLY
That the association has approved that a constitution be drawn up.
AND THEIR UNDER
To make provision, rules and regulation for, and define delimit the nature and extent
of
powers of officers, committees and make up of membership of the association.
WE DO HEREBY
Enact, adopt and gives to ourselves this constitution.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE
Article I: Name & Motto
Article II: Membership
Article III: Patrons.
Article IV: Organs of the Union
Article V: The Congress

CHAPTER TWO
Article I: Transition
Article II: Qualification of Contest
Article III: Meetings

CHAPTER THREE
Article I: Code of Conduct

CHAPTER FOUR
Article I: Resignation and Impeachment
Article II: Amendment

CHAPTER ONE
ARTICLE I: NAME AND MOTTO
a. This association shall be known and addressed as the Yobe State Law Students As-
sociation.
b. (b) The motto of the association shall be the promotion of unity and spirit of Advo-
cacy.
ARTICLE II: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
a. The aims of the association are in accordance with the code and conduct of law
practice.
b. Our aim is among others to promote unity and socio-cultural activities among the
Yobe State Law students. The association is affiliated to the national body.
c. The whole essence of the association is forward promoting and catering for welfare
of Yobe State Law students.
d. Except where circumstances expressly or by necessary implication omits, prohibits
or in any way restricts, the association shall work and strive to support students
unionisms.
I.e. To do all things possible to achieve this aim and objectives.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

a. Every Yobe State indigene who is studying law is qualified to be a full member of
this association.
b. The membership in (a) above shall be subject to the provision of this constitution.

ARTICLE IV: PATRONS

a. The executive has the power to nominate patron for the union. This approval is to
simple majority of those present at the meeting.
b. The patrons should stay in office for the duration of two (2) years and may be re-
placed or re-elected.
ARTICLE V: ORGANS OF THE UNION
a. Executive
ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE UNION
The executive council of the said association shall comprise.
1-President
2. Vice President I
3. Vice President II
4. Secretary General
5. Assistant Secretary General
6. Financial Secretary
7. Litigation Officer
8. Director of research
9. Treasurer
8. Auditor General
9. Editor in Chief
10. Public Relation Officer I
11. Public Relation Officer II
12. Welfare Director
13. Sport Director
14. Financial secretary

ARTICLE VII: DUTIES OF EXECUTIVE(S) OF THE UNION

1. THE PRESIDENT SHALL:

a. Be the chief executive of the union.
b. Co-operation the activities of the various officers.
c. In consultation with the Secretary-General, through the public relation officer, sum-
mon all executives' council and general assembly meetings.
d. Preside over the executive council and g general assembly meeting.
e. Alongside the Treasurer be the signatory of the account of the union either jointly or
severally.
f. Be the custodian of the association property.
g. The president is open to 300 and 400 level.

2. THE VICE PRESIDENT I & II SHALL:

a. Act for the president in his/her absence.
b. Assist the president in all activities.
c. Carry out specific duties as assigned by the executive council.
d. The Vice presidents is open to both 300 and 400 level
e. One of them must be female.

3. THE SECRETARY GENERAL SHALL:

a. Summon the general executive meeting at the instance of the president through
the public relations office, starting agenda;
b. Take and keep minutes of such meetings;
c. Conduct the correspondence of the association in consultation with the president
and appropriate officers of the association when necessary;
d. Compile an annual report and submit to the general assembly meeting of the asso-
ciation;
e. Compile and submit the annual convention fiesta of NUYOSS
f. Supervise and run the union’s secretariat.
g. The secretary general is open to 200 and 300 level.

4. ASSISTANCE SECRETARY GENERAL SHALL:

a. Assist the secretary general in all his/her duties, and act in the absence of him/her;
b. Take and keep attendance of all executive council and general assembly Meeting
c. Immediately after the meeting closes and sign such attendance as in above to-
gether with the president;
d. Perform any duty assigned to him/her by the executive council.
e. The Assistant secretary general is open to 200 and 300 level also.

5. LITIGATION OFFICER
a. Prepare, lead and Represent the association in moot and mock competition.
b. Manage and train the members to participate in every moot and mock competition.
c. Draft legal documents and guide other members in doing same.
d. Ensure compliance with laws and regulations within and outside the university.
e. This office is open to 300 and 400 level.

6. DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
a. Oversee research activities within the association.
b. Coordinate research teams and projects.
c. Develop research agendas and strategies.
d. Analyze and present research findings.
d. Ensure the accuracy and relevance of research outputs.
f. This position is open to 300 and 400 level.

5. THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY SHALL:

a. Collect alI monies due to the association and issue receipt for such;
b. Submit such monies to the treasurer within forty-eight (48) hour and collect receipt
forn such;
c. Assume the responsibilities of the Treasurer in the absence of such person;
d. Prepare and give to the treasurer cash withdrawal order when Necessary;
e. Prepare a balance sheet and submit it together with his books of account for audit-
ing at least four (4) weeks before the dissolution of the executive council;
f. Compile and submit his/her repost at the last general assembly meeting.
g. This post is open, and it shall be occupied by a female.

6. THE TREASURER SHALL:

a. Receive all monies of the association from the financial secretary and deposit them
in the union's bank account within Forty-eight (48) hours (working days)
b. Keep an impress account of not more than two thousand Naira
c. With the President be a signatory to the Association’s account either jointly or sev-
erally;
d. Keep pass book to show the union's bank transactions, whenever balance of the
amount
is in need it should be countersigned and stamped by the bankers;
e. Compile and submit annual financial report at the last general meeting.
f. This post is open and it shall also be occupied by female.

7. THE AUDITOR GENERAL SHALL:

a. Investigate all financial expenditure of the union and present an audited account at
congress meeting at least once in a semester
b. Audit the cumulative account at the end of the session and present it to the general
assembly meeting.
c. This post is open to 200 level.

8. THE EDITOR IN CHIEF SHALL:

a. Be the chairman of editorial committee.
b. Scrutinize the Nuyosite write up.
c. This post is open to 200 level.

9. THE PUBLIC RELATION OFFICER SHALL:

a. Prepare releases on the activities of the association and send such releases in con-
sultation with the other executives of the press, radio and any other suitable news me-
dia.
b. In consultation with the other executives’ council members publish the general as-
sembly stating agenda.
c. This post is open to 100 level.

10. WELFARE OFFICER

a. Arrangement of all trips needed by the union;
b. Be responsible for the organization of all association's extra-curricular activities;
c. Be the chairman of social committee.
d. This post is open to 200 level.

11. SPORT DIRECTOR SHALL

a. Be in charge of all sporting activities of the union;
b. Be responsible for welfare of sport men and women;
c. Be the chairman of sport committee.
d. This post is open to 200 and 300 level.

ARTICLE XII: THE CONGRESS

a. The congress is the highest body of the association and shall consist of all the regis-
tered members of the association present at the general meeting of the association
lawfully convened;
b. Members of the congress shall here the power to vote and be voted for
c. The congress shall elect the executive committee/council of the association
d. The congress shall approve or reject the nomination of the patron nominated by the
executive council
e. The congress shall be responsible for outlining the general principle and pro-
grammes of activities of the association and in this direction approve such pro-
grammes as presented by the executive council.
f. The congress shall have the power to call for the removal of any member of the ex-
ecutive council found wanting in the discharge of his/her duties.
g. Decision of the congress shall be by simple majority of those present at the general
meeting.
h. The 2/3 of the member of the congress shall have power to call for an extra ordinary
general meeting.
i. Shall have the power to nominate the executive members of the association.

CHAPTER TWO
4. Transition

(a)Transition shall be in form of nomination.

(b) All nomination shall be made during the last Congress of the session.
(c)No member shall nominate more than one (1) candidate for the same office

ARTICLE II: QUALIFICATION OF CONTEST

1. All registered members of the association are eligible to contest.
2. The following are not qualified to contest for any post in the Union
i. Remedial students
ii. Part-time students
iii. Final year students
iv. Diploma students
3. Only duly registered members of the association are eligible to contest in the elec-
tion
4. A candidate may decline nomination.

ARTICLE III: MEETING

1. EXECUTIVE MEETINGS
a. The executive council shall meet at least once a month;
b. The president, secretary general and five other members shall form a quorum;
c. Any officer failing to be present at two consecutive executive meetings of the coun-
cil
without permission or acceptable reasons shall have his/her post automatically de-
clared
vacant, and further nomination shall follow immediately.
d. The president shall have no voting right except when there is a tie.

CHAPTER THREE
ARTICLE 1: CODE OF CONDUCT
1. LANGUAGE
a. The official language shall be English.
b. No foul language (abusive, insultive, etc.) should be used on any member(s) of the
association and such should not be heard on the floor of the house.
c. Where foul language has been inadvertently used it shall be withdrawn immediately
with
unreserved apology to the affected person(s).
d. All speeches shall be brief and to the point.
e. A member of the congress wishing to go out should ask the permission of the presi-
dent.

2. MODE OF ADDRESS
a. A member shall stand up addressing the congress and shall mention his/her name
except the presiding officer whom may sit down for some.
b. Any member shall address the house only by beginning introducing his/her speech
as Mr. President, sir, the house etc.

3. MOTIONS
a. Shall be by rising of hand and subsequent recognition by the presiding officer.
b. All motions must be seconded and may be subject to Amendment.
c. All motions shall not be allowed to tie, after they have been seconded and they shall
be
passed if there are no counter-motion or voted for if otherwise.
d. In case of any counter motion, the sponsors of both motions shall be given three
minutes between which to depend such motions. Then the congress shall go into vote.
e. The motion shall be moved in proper motion language.

4. INTERVENTIONS
In addition to discussions on a motion or amendments, the Presiding officer should al-
low the following points in the order as they appear here-under
a. Constitutional matters
b. Point of order
c. Personal privilege
d. Point of observation
e. Point of information
f. Point of correction
Apart from such issues as constitutional matters and points of order, which carry auto-
matic recognition, on pronouncement, any member must be duly recognized by the
presiding officer before addressing the house constitutional matters and points of or-
der shall only be made when a member's speech is consistent with a portion of the
constitution of standing orders. A member on his/her own can only be interrupted by
constitutional matter or point of order. He/she may remain on his/her feet while this is
being done and may resume thereafter if necessary.

5. OTHERS
a. Drinking of alcohol and smoking are not allowed during the meeting and in any
other programme of the union
b. Always religious rule most prevail while this constitution follows.
c. In case of inconclusive argument, discussions and other matter during deliberations
at a meeting, the president shall use his initiative to postpone such matters, or re-
quest that such matters be put to vote in the same meeting.

CHAPTER FIVE
RESIGNATION, IMPEACHMENT AND AMENDMENT
ARTICLE 1:
RESIGNATION
a. Any officer shall have the right to resign after giving two weeks’ notice, in writing to
the executive.
b. Any officer may be asked to resign on a motion to that effect passed by 2/3 majority
of the general Congress.
c. Any officer who so relinquished his/her post shall hand over all documents, monies
or any property belonging to the association to the president within 48 hours;
d. In event of the president, he/her shall do so the vice President;
2. IMPEACHMENT
a. The Executive council shall have the power at any point in time to appoint a five-
man impeachment committee to investigate the conduct of any officer or the union
against whom the allegation of gross misconduct has been made.
b. For the purpose of the above provision, gross misconduct shall be interpreted to
mean interalia embezzlement of the associations fund, violation of the constitution, in-
volvement in criminal offence against the state, which shall ordinarily render him pros-
ecutable in court of law or any other act that may be detrimental to the spirit of stu-
dent's unionism.
c. Any impeached officer must handover all Associations properties attached to his
person or office within 24 hours of the impeachment.
d. Failure of which may compel the associations to bring to the notice of the University
Authority.

ARTICLE II:
AMENDMENT
a. This constitution can only amended with the approval of two-third majority of the
Executive council members at a general meeting and after proper memorandum has
been received and shall be ratified.
b. The ad-hoc constitution review committee shall be nominated by the council during
general Congress and stand dissolve after the handing over a compiled adopted con-
stitution to the executives, patron and staff Adviser.

YOBE STATE LAW STUDENTS ASSOCIATION OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

I __________________________________ Do solemnly affirm that I will be faithful and bear
the allegiance to the Yobe State Law Students Association and that I will preserve pro-
tect and defend the constitution of the Yobe State Law Students Association. So help
me God.
I ___________________________________ Do solemnly affirm that I will be faithful and beer
true allegiance to the National Union of Yobe State Students and the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, that as _______________________ of the Yobe State Law Students Assocaition,
the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the law, that I will not allow any
personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions, that 1 will do
right to all manner of people according to law, without fear or favour affection or ill
will, that will to the best of my ability pressure, protect and defend the constitution of
the said union.
The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so help me God.