The National Universities Commission on Thursday ordered the closure of universities across the country to enable students to participate in the forthcoming general elections.
This order is contrary to the commission’s earlier stand, which it made in February, stating that is just a regulatory body and doesn’t have the power to order the closure of any university.
According to the member of the National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and chairperson of the union at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof Gbolahan Bolarin, the only authority that can order this closure apart from the Senate of each institution is the Federal Ministry of Education.
He said, “The NUC is just a regulatory body. It doesn’t have the power to order the closure of any university. The only authority that can order this closure apart from the Senate of each institution is the Federal Ministry of Education and the order will be given on behalf of the visitor to all the universities, which is the President.
“By the time the ministry gives the order, the NUC will comply and the directives will be passed down. The House of Representatives should talk to the President about this. The NUC is powerless on this matter.”
However, in a more recent letter addressed to vice-chancellors of all universities and directors of inter-university centres, The PUNCH reported that the NUC noted that the directive was based on the directive of the minister of education, Adamu Adamu.
The letter read, “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 damu
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 22nd 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.”
This development is in response to calls from several quarters of the country, especially, from the House of Representatives, asking for the suspension of all academic activities at all higher institutions nationwide.
Premium Politics had reported that the lower chamber stated that these students, who make up 40.8% of the newly registered voters, must travel outside of their respective campuses to cast their ballots in the 2023 elections because the voting places are located in other states.
They said, “Despite the fact that the majority of students registered to vote away from their campuses during the ongoing voter registration drive that took place during the protracted Academic Staff Union of Universities strike, tertiary institutions are not considering academic breaks for students during the general elections.
“INEC is engaged in distributing PVCs at the wards across the 774 LGAs of the federation while the students are busy with academic activities, depriving them of the opportunity to collect their PVCs.
“The academic calendars of different higher institutions are constructed in such a way that the majority of students are disenfranchised as school calendars do not take into mind the timetables and date for elections.
“Tertiary institutions do not take election seasons into account when planning their academic calendars because the majority of them hold semester exams when the general election is either about to take place or when the polls are open, preventing students from exercising their right to vote.
“INEC has broad legal authority to make special arrangements for students to obtain PVCs in order to cast ballots.”
