The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it lacks the authority to compel universities to declare holidays to facilitate student voting in the upcoming general elections. Rotimi Oyekanmi, the media aide to the INEC chairman, made this assertion during an interview with Saturday on Friday. This announcement comes in response to various calls for universities to grant holidays to allow students to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the elections.
For instance, House of Representatives member Kabir Tukura recently introduced a motion titled “Urgent Need to Give the Students of Tertiary Institutions of Learning in Nigeria an Opportunity to Vote in the General Elections.” He highlighted that 3.8 million of the newly registered voters are students, representing 40.8 percent of the total. Tukura expressed concern that the academic calendars of many tertiary institutions do not accommodate election timelines, which could disenfranchise students. He noted that these students often have polling units located in states away from their campuses, necessitating travel to vote.
Tukura further pointed out that despite the awareness of the academic breaks needed for elections, many institutions have not made provisions for this. He emphasized that INEC possesses the statutory authority to make special arrangements for students to collect their PVCs. However, he also acknowledged that the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), and the federal Ministry of Education have the power to direct both public and private institutions to suspend academic activities during the elections.
When approached for comment, Oyekanmi reiterated that INEC cannot dictate university operations, as each institution has its governing council responsible for its administration. He expressed skepticism about whether the NUC could issue directives regarding university holidays. Oyekanmi noted that private and state universities, which do not receive federal funding, are also under the purview of their governing councils. Consequently, he affirmed that INEC does not possess the power to mandate universities to declare holidays for election purposes.
In a related development, Professor Samuel Edoumiekumo, the Chairman of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, stated that neither the National Assembly nor the NUC has the authority to dictate holiday schedules for tertiary institutions. He emphasized that decisions regarding academic calendars rest with the senates and governing councils of individual universities, which are best positioned to assess their unique circumstances.
Meanwhile, a final-year student from the University of Benin, Moses Omoyele, has filed a lawsuit in the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to compel the Federal Government to declare a short vacation across all tertiary institutions to enable students to vote. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/117/2023, names INEC, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Minister of Education as respondents, along with the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE. Omoyele’s lawyer, Mr. Jideobi Johnmary, argued that the suit aims to enforce the fundamental human rights of students, highlighting that over four million Nigerian students risk disenfranchisement due to academic calendar conflicts with election dates.
In support of his claim, Omoyele provided an affidavit indicating that many academic calendars do not align with the election schedule, citing the Federal University of Technology, Minna, as an example where examinations are scheduled just before the elections. He is seeking a court order to mandate a short vacation across all tertiary institutions, allowing eligible students to travel home to vote. Additionally, he requests an injunction preventing universities from scheduling academic activities during the week leading up to the elections and an order for INEC to extend the PVC collection period.
The National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) has also voiced its support for student participation in the elections. Giwa Temitope, NANS’ National Public Relations Officer, stated that the organization is actively encouraging student involvement and is collaborating with student union leaders to ensure effective communication and mobilization for the polls.
Furthermore, several civil society organizations have urged INEC to coordinate with the NUC to facilitate student participation in the elections. During a press conference in Abuja, these organizations called for an extension of the PVC collection period to accommodate students. They expressed concerns about reports of validly registered voters being unable to collect their PVCs due to administrative issues, which they argue constitutes a breach of the Electoral Act 2022.
The civil society organizations, which include the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development, ConnectHub, and Yiaga Africa, emphasized that the deadline for PVC collection could disenfranchise voters whose cards are unavailable due to INEC’s lapses. They urged INEC to provide clarity on the status of PVC printing, extend the collection period, and ensure that universities do not schedule classes or exams during the week before the elections. They also called for improved communication with newly registered voters, particularly students, regarding the availability of their PVCs.
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