Students to exercise franchise as NUC orders closure of varsities for 2023 elections

Students in Nigerian Universities would be able to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming general elections after the National Universities Commission (NUC) made an important pronouncement towards that effect.

The regulatory agency for universities in Nigeria, the National Universities Commission, on Thursday, mandated the closure of universities across the country, in order to allow students participate in the electoral process.

This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the Deputy Secretary (Administration), Cheis Maiyaki.

Maiyaki noted that a letter was issued by the NUC and addressed to vice-chancellors of all universities and directors of inter-university centres, based on the mandate of the minister of education, Adamu Adamu.

It reads, “As Vice-Chancellors of all Universities and Director/Chief Executive of Inter-University Centres are quite aware the 2023 General Elections have been scheduled to hold on Saturday 25th February 2023, for the Presidential and National Assembly, and Saturday 1st March 2023 for Gubernatorial and State Assembly, respectively.

“In view of the foregoing and concerns expressed on the security of staff, students and properties of the our respective institutions, the Honourable Minister of Education, Mal. Adama Adamu has following extensive consultations with the relevant security agencies, directed that all Universities and Inter-University Centres be shut down and academic activities be suspended between 22 February and 14th March, 2023.

“Consequently, Vice-Chancellors and chief executives of inter -university centres, are by this Circular requested to shut down their respective Institutions from Wednesday 22nd February 2023 to Tuesday 14th March 2023.

“Please, accept the renewed assurances of the Executive Secretary‘s highest regurds for your understanding and unwavering cooperation.”

Read also:Inadequate manpower, poor budgetary allocations bane of university system in Nigeria – NUC

Earlier in January 2023, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS had urged the government to close all schools to allow students’ participation in the 2023 general elections.

A statement issued by the group’s Vice-President, Akinteye Baba Tunde, urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to temporarily close all tertiary institutions in the country.

This is to allow students collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that would enable them to exercise their franchise during the polls.

“Now that we have registered for our PVCs and they have been processed and our tertiary institutions are not considering academic breaks for students during the general elections, despite having knowledge that most students registered outside their campuses, to go and collect our PVCs and have the opportunity to vote.

“This is why we are calling on the Federal Government of Nigeria to mandate the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) through the Federal Ministry of Education to shut down all tertiary institutions temporarily until after the general elections in order to allow the Nigerian students (who constitute 40.8 percent of the newly registered voters across the 774 local government areas of Nigeria) have access to their PVCs and vote for the candidates of their choice in fulfillment of their civic responsibility as patriotic citizens of Nigeria.

“As the leadership of NANS, we cannot sit and watch our school management disenfranchise us with their unfavourable academic calendars that do not take into consideration timelines and dates for election when we know that we have a stake in the turns of things as they will unfold in preceding weeks,” the statement reads in part.

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