Reps Decry Disenfranchisement of Students Urges Schools to Suspend Activities for Election

The House of Representatives during plenary on Thursday, has decried the imminent disenfranchisement of Nigerian youths in higher institutions of learning as schools are scheduling examinations close to the forthcoming general elections.

The House urged the National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education, National Commission for Colleges of Education, and the Federal Ministry of Education to “direct all tertiary institutions to suspend academic activities during the period of elections.”

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was called upon by the house to make special arrangements for the students to collect their Permanent Voter Cards.

Following the unanimous adoption of a motion moved by a member of the House, Kabir Tukura, titled ‘Urgent Need to Give the Students of Tertiary Institutions of Learning in Nigeria an Opportunity to Vote in the General Elections.’

Tukura said according to available statistics, there are over 2.1 million students currently studying in Nigerian universities, while over 2.4 million are students in the polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education across the country.

The lawmaker also noted that academic calendars of various tertiary institutions are structured “in a way that most students are disenfranchised, as school calendars do not take into consideration the timelines and date for elections.”

Lawmakers also mandated to the House Committees on Tertiary Education and Electoral Matters to liaise with relevant agencies to facilitate the process and report to the chamber within one week for further legislative action.