By Gloria Nosa
The Oxford Union is preparing to remove its President-Elect, George Abaraonye, following outrage over comments he made in the wake of U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s fatal shooting.
Abaraonye, a 20-year-old second-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student at Oxford, came under fire after a message he shared on WhatsApp appeared to celebrate the violence. The remark, which circulated online, drew sharp criticism from students, alumni, and commentators, prompting calls for his removal.
Although Abaraonye later deleted the post and apologized—claiming he had not realized Kirk had died when he reacted—his actions triggered a motion of no confidence within the centuries-old debating society.
Members of the Oxford Union will now vote on Saturday to determine whether he should be removed as President-Elect. If two-thirds of members vote against him, he will automatically lose the role.
“The comments I made were rash and in poor judgment,” Abaraonye admitted in a later interview, while insisting his words were misinterpreted as celebrating Kirk’s death rather than reacting impulsively to initial reports of the shooting.
The Oxford Union, independent of the university but renowned worldwide for hosting debates with global leaders, has faced mounting pressure to uphold its standards of conduct and accountability.
If the vote passes, Abaraonye will become one of the few presidents-elect in the Union’s history to be removed before formally assuming office.
