Proceedings in a no-confidence poll against Oxford Union incoming president George Abaraonye were informally suspended early on Monday due to “an impossible working atmosphere”.
The extraordinary returning officer was allegedly subjected to “obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility by a number of representatives”, a notice signed by the returning officer stated.
Proceedings will resume, the notice added.
The decision to suspend proceedings on the early morning of October 20 “was not a formal decision taken based on procedural necessity, but rather due to the development an impossible working atmosphere,” the notice said.
“The extraordinary returning officer was subject to obstruction, intimidation, and unwarranted hostility by a number of representatives, and on account of this had no choice but to informally suspend the process as co-operation and progress was rendered untenable.
“The decision to suspend at the time was not one made due to the material substance of the election process, but rather on account of present parties actively subtracting from the extraordinary returning officer’s efforts to ascertain a result.”
Thousands of members were eligible to take part in the no-confidence vote, which was open for in-person voting between 10am and 8pm on Saturday, as well as for members to submit votes by proxy.
Mr Abaraonye, who became president-elect of the historic debating society after a vote earlier this year, faced controversy after Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a Utah Valley University event in September, in what US authorities called a political assassination.
Mr Kirk, a 31-year-old father-of-two, was a Donald Trump ally and co-founder and chief executive of the right-wing youth organisation Turning Point USA.
The Times reported that in one message to fellow students in a WhatsApp chat, Mr Abaraonye wrote “Charlie Kirk got shot, let’s f****** go”, while another on his Instagram account read: “Charlie Kirk got shot loool.”
In a statement last month the Oxford Union condemned his remarks, and said complaints filed against Mr Abaraonye had been forwarded for disciplinary proceedings.
In an Instagram post that is no longer public, Mr Abaraonye said he had submitted a motion of confidence in himself in an attempt to reclaim “true accountability and (reaffirm) that the Oxford Union must remain a place where students can make mistakes, apologise sincerely, and learn from them”.
Posting on social media last week, Oxford Stand Up To Racism said Mr Abaraonye has faced a tirade of racist abuse online since.
Oxford Union’s statement in September condemned the racial abuse and threats Mr Abaraonye has faced.
