Retail
  • Home
  • News
  • 2023 election
  • Governance
  • National Assembly
  • Presidency
  • Foreign
  • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Premium Politics
No Result
View All Result
Home 2023 election

2023: We have no power to shut universities – INEC

by Alade Abayomi Adeleke
January 28, 2023
in 2023 election
Reading Time: 2 mins read
INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission

0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Bisola David

 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

How I was forced to sign Kogi presidential poll result – Witness

JUST IN: S’Court dismisses PDP’s suit to disqualify Shettima

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that it is not within its power to require colleges to announce breaks so that students may cast ballots in the next general elections.

 

This was said in a Friday interview with The Punch by the chairman of the commission’s media aide, Rotimi Oyekanmi.

 

In the meantime, there have been appeals from various sectors for institutions to announce holidays so that students can register to vote and pick up their permanent voter cards.

 

As an illustration, a member of the House of Representatives, Kabir Tukura, on thursday presented a resolution with the title “Urgent Need to Give the Students of Tertiary Institutions of Learning in Nigeria an Opportunity to Vote in the General Elections.”

 

Tukura pointed out that 3.8 million of the newly registered voters—or 40.8% of all newly registered voters—are students, according to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

 

He voiced concern that different higher institutions’ academic calendars are designed “in a way that most students are disenfranchised, as school calendars do not take into consideration the timelines and date for elections.”

 

The House is concerned that these students, who make up 40.8% of newly registered voters, have their polling places located in states away from their campuses, mandating travel outside of their respective institutions to cast a ballot in the 2023 elections, the congressman said.

 

 

The House is additionally concerned that tertiary institutions are not taking into account academic breaks for students during the general elections, despite knowing that the majority of students registered outside of their campuses during the ongoing voter registration drive that took place during the protracted Academic Staff Union of Universities strike.

 

“The House is aware that the INEC has broad legal authority to make special arrangements for students to obtain their PVCs in order to cast ballots. As the tertiary education regulators in Nigeria, the NUC, NBTE, NCCE, and federal Ministry of Education have the legal authority to order both public and private tertiary education institutions there to halt academic operations until the general elections are over.

 

But when approached by one of our reporters, the media assistant to the INEC chairman, Oyekanmi, claimed it was inappropriate for INEC to instruct universities on how to manage their calendars.

 

Each university has a governing board that makes decisions about how the institution should be operated, he said. I doubt that, but I stand to be corrected, whether the National Universities Commission can truly issue a direction to universities on when to go on holidays or operate.

 

“Remember that there are also state and private colleges that are not supported by the federal government, yet the NUC nonetheless oversees their academic programs and regularly audits them for accreditation.

 

“In a similar vein, no university may be required to declare a holiday for election-related activities by the Independent National Electoral Commission. We lack these abilities. It is advisable to let each university’s governing council make this decision.

 

The Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors,  Prof. Samuel Edoumiekumo, stated that neither the National Assembly, the National Universities Commission, nor the CVC had the authority to order the tertiary institutions to take vacations.

 

The Governing Council and Senate of each higher education institution, according to Edoumiekumo, make the final decision.

“This is not the first time elections are being held,” he added. “Institutions have their own distinct governing councils and senates; as a result, each campuses will look at the scenarios within their universities and take suitable judgments.”

Tags: 2023 electionsHouse of RepresentativesINEC
ShareTweetSend
ADVERTISEMENT
Previous Post

2023: Delta workers endorse Omo-Agege for governor

Next Post

Adeleke: Osun students threaten protest, reject Oyetola’s tribunal win

Related Posts

How I was forced to sign Kogi presidential poll result – Witness
2023 election

How I was forced to sign Kogi presidential poll result – Witness

June 1, 2023
Court order
2023 election

JUST IN: S’Court dismisses PDP’s suit to disqualify Shettima

May 26, 2023
Aisha Yesufu
2023 election

Why PDP lost 2023 presidential election – Aisha Yesufu

May 25, 2023
Action Alliance
2023 election

Action Alliance withdraws petition challenging Tinubu’s victory

May 11, 2023
Peter Obi defeats Tinubu in hometown Lagos
2023 election

Obi couldn’t have defeated Tinubu – Ex-Commissioner

May 5, 2023
APC and PDP
2023 election

Kebbi APC chieftain sues PDP members over breach of trust

May 4, 2023
Next Post
Osun tribunal: Adeleke sets to appeal, says judgement unfair

Adeleke: Osun students threaten protest, reject Oyetola's tribunal win

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News

Gov Rotimi Akeredolu

Akeredolu not incapacitated- Ondo govt

by Kazeem Owoseni
June 8, 2023

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

PHOTOS: Tinubu hosts Exxon Mobil executives

by Kazeem Owoseni
June 8, 2023

Bola Ahmed Tinubu

BREAKING: Tinubu approves bill extending retirement age of judges

by Alade Abayomi Adeleke
June 8, 2023

INEC staff tells court BVAS didn't transmit presidential result

INEC staff tells court BVAS didn’t transmit presidential result

by Marcus Amudipe
June 8, 2023

Premium Politics

© 2023 Premium Politics

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • News
  • 2023 election
  • Governance
  • National Assembly
  • Presidency
  • Foreign
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • 2023 election
  • Governance
  • National Assembly
  • Presidency
  • Foreign
  • Privacy Policy

© 2023 Premium Politics

Go to mobile version