🔗 Share this article

The president-elect of the prestigious debating society has been ousted from office after failing a vote of confidence that followed his controversial online comments about Charlie Kirk.

The motion against the student leader reached the required two-thirds threshold to remove him from office, according to an statement from the organization.

Disputed Comments

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

According to sources, one Instagram post reportedly stated "Charlie Kirk got shot loool" - using an elongated version of the phrase 'lol'.

The student leader is also reported to have written in a messaging group with other members seeming to express approval of the event.

Election Results

The vote of confidence took place over the weekend, with outcomes announced on Tuesday.

Society announcements indicated that 1,228 ballots were cast in favor of removal, while just over five hundred were opposed the motion.

The announcement stated that the president-elect was considered to have stepped down in accordance with the society's regulations.

Procedural Disputes

Voting operations were informally suspended early on Monday after the election official was reportedly subjected to "interference, threats, and inappropriate behavior" from several representatives.

In a statement, Mr Abaraonye claimed that the count had been halted because electoral officials believed "no valid outcome could be reached as a result of procedural failures".

His response categorically refuted that any person acting for George had engaged in intimidating or disruptive behavior.

Ongoing Dispute

The president-elect stated that extremely serious issues had been referred to the governing body and that he continued as the elected leader.

His statement added that he was "proud and thankful to have the backing of well in excess of a majority of students at Oxford" who supported a "safe election and resist attempts to subvert democracy".

Opponents have said that any decision to keep him would "signal to the world that the Oxford Union has chosen ideology over integrity".

External Responses

On Friday, Mikey McCoy presented an public message to the society on The Charlie Kirk Show broadcast.

The letter criticized the society of becoming a institution where "student leaders publicly celebrate the killing of a ideological rival".

The communication warned that if the student were to keep his position, Kirk's allies would "personally contact every U.S. political figure who has ever spoken at the society and advise them against future participation".

The society had previously condemned the student's comments after the activist's killing and confirmed that concerns filed against him had been referred for official review.

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