Habi is MACOSA’s First Female President

 By Abigael Dada

Comr. Habi Mohammad Abubakar, First Female President of MACOSA ABU

History was made at ABU on Saturday.

Comr. Habi Mohammad Abubakar is now the first female president of the Mass Communication Students Association, MACOSA, ABU chapter. And she didn’t just win, she won big.

The election held on Saturday, 5/09/2026 and was conducted by ELCOM. Voting started at 10:50 AM and ended at 4:00 PM. By the time ELCOM Chairman, Kpalev Charles, stood to announce the results at MACOSA Garden, nobody knew what to expect.

310 votes were cast in total. 1 was invalid.
Habi pulled 198 votes.
Her opponent, Abdulganiyu Hanafi, got 113 votes.

It was a landslide.

A lot of that momentum came from the presidential manifesto and debate on Friday, 5/09/2026. That was where Habi laid out what she’s really about: digital skills, tutorials, help with group assignments, better study spaces, student welfare, emergency response, sports, and making life easier for 100-level students trying to find their feet.

After the results, Habi couldn’t hide how she felt:

"Honestly, I was really happy. I knew I had people supporting me, but you can never completely predict the outcome of an election because anything can happen. So seeing that 198 people actually voted for me was a really beautiful moment for me. I was genuinely grateful and very happy that people believed in me enough to give me their votes. It meant a lot to me, especially because this is something that has never happened before."

She also had a message for every MACOSITE:

"My message to every MACOSITE is to please trust me and support me throughout this journey. I want everyone to know that I am here for them, and everything I intend to do is centred around serving the students and making our department a better place for everyone. I may not have all the answers, but I promise to listen, learn, and do my very best to represent every MACOSITE. This is not just my administration; it is ours, and I need everyone to come along with me."

Her opponent, Abdulganiyu Hanafi, took it in good faith:

"Honestly, I had mixed feelings when the result was announced. I was disappointed at first because I had put a lot of effort, time, and commitment into the campaign, and of course, I wanted to win. I won't lie. However, I also understood that elections are about the choice of the people, and I respect the decision that was made.

"I congratulated the winner because I believe leadership should be bigger than personal ambition. The election may have ended, but MACOSA remains our collective association, and I sincerely wish the new administration success. For me, the experience was also a lesson. I gained new relationships, learnt more about leadership, and understood the importance of listening to people. I am grateful to everyone who supported me, and I have no regrets about putting myself forward to serve."

For many students, this win is bigger than just MACOSA. It’s about representation.

Onoja Magdalene, 300L Mass Comm, put it this way:

"I went out to vote for Habi because not only have I seen her competence in group leadership, I have seen the way she is able to handle different things at the same time. She is multidynamic, and I really believe in her leadership capabilities. When I heard of it, I was elated.

"She is the first in the faculty and in the department. It has been everywhere: first female, first female, first female! She is actually my mentor; she gave me a push, and seeing her emerge fueled my inspiration. Her campaign was not limited to a certain platform; it was on TikTok, it was on Facebook. I was seeing Habi everywhere! She wanted everyone to know what she was going for, and honestly, it was beautiful to see."

Another student who didn’t want her name mentioned said:

"I was excited because I was able to vote and my candidate won. I was excited when the results came out because we voted Habi and she won. Part of the reason I was excited is because she is a major milestone in the history of MACOSA. It's good to see ladies out there winning."

With results now official, Habi and her new executive council will soon take office and start work for the session.