Vote Count Stopped Amid Shocking Intimidation Claims
The Oxford Union’s crucial vote of no confidence in president-elect George Abaraonye has been abruptly suspended after accusations of intimidation during ballot counting.
Thousands of members were due to decide Abaraonye’s future on Sunday. But counting ground to a halt when the returning officer was reportedly harassed by faction representatives, creating an “impossible working atmosphere.”
An official statement said the decision to pause the vote “was not about the substance of the election but due to parties actively subtracting from the returning officer’s work.”
President-Elect Slammed for Celebrating Assassination
The explosive row ignited after Abaraonye allegedly celebrated the murder of Conservative activist Charlie Kirk last month at a Utah university event.
Leaked WhatsApp messages revealed Abaraonye’s shocking reaction: “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f****** go” and “Charlie Kirk got shot loool”.
Kirk was a prominent Trump supporter and head of Turning Point USA. The messages sparked widespread outrage. Oxford Union swiftly condemned Abaraonye and launched disciplinary action. Kirk’s allies have vowed to boycott the society if Abaraonye stays.
Proxy Vote Battles and Missing Records Worsen Crisis
Adding fuel to the fire, Abaraonye has fiercely challenged every proxy vote during counting, stalling progress.
To make matters worse, membership records from 1961-1980 disappeared, halting verification of historic proxies and excluding life peers and former presidents from the process.
The combined proxy disputes and lost registers have plunged the Union deeper into chaos and delayed the final result.
Oxford Union’s Prestigious Reputation on the Brink
Founded in 1823, the Oxford Union is famed for free speech and has hosted giants like Churchill, Mother Teresa, and Malcolm X. But insiders warn this scandal could seriously damage its standing for years to come.
Officials plan to resume counting under tougher rules:
- Proxy nominations checked away from party reps
- Reps from the initial count banned
- Neutral electoral officials appointed if no reps show
- Immediate removal of disruptive members
The Union made clear: “The treatment toward the Extraordinary Returning Officer is utterly unacceptable.”
As the vote hangs in the balance, Oxford’s hallowed debating chamber faces an unprecedented crisis—its democratic values and free speech legacy dangerously threatened.