2023 Elections: ASUU Explains Why NUC Can't Shutdown Varsities for Students to Participate in Polls

• The Academic Staff Union of Universities has cleared the air over calls for the closure of tertiary institutions during the 2023 elections
• ASUU said the National Universities Commission lacks the power to order institutions to shutdown activities ahead of the polls
• Professor Gbolahan Bolarin noted that the NUC is simply a regulatory body and can only ensure compliance should a directive be given by the Ministry of Education or senate of each institution

Students of various universities who registered for their Permanent Voters' Cards outside the environment of their institutions might not be able to participate in the 2023 elections.

The leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities said shutting down tertiary institutions to avail students of the opportunity to vote during the 2023 elections is not in the purview of the National Universities Commission (NUC).

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In an interview with The Punch, ASUU's chairperson at the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Gbolahan Bolarin said the NUC is only a regulatory body and does not have the power to order the closure of schools.

Bolarin noted that it is up to the senate of every institution to take a decision on whether its school will be actively in session during the elections or shutdown.

In addition, Bolarin said the Federal Ministry of Education equally wields the power to mandate institutional leadership to close down every tertiary institution across the country to enable students to exercise their civic rights.

His words:

“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.

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The professor added that it is only when the education ministry has given such an order that the NUC ensure that the directives are passed down and complied with by every institution.

He said:

“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.”

2023 presidential debate: Kwankwaso pledges 3 key reforms for ASUU

Meanwhile, ahead of the 2023 general election, NNPP bannerman Rabiu Kwankwaso assured that his administration will prioritise education.

Kwankwaso revealed that the blueprint of his manifesto plays an absolute priority in education.

The former Kano state governor also noted that the plight of ASUU was properly addressed in his manifest.

Lecturer who has not been paid salaries since 2020 gives Birth to 7 Babies, Gets N19m Hospital Bill

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A Nigerian lecturer, Ngozi Uzodike, had earlier delivered seven babies, two boys and five girls.

However, the lecturer, who has not been paid by the institution where she works for over a year, has been given a N19 million bill.

The husband of the lecturer has called for help from Nigerians, saying they can’t foot the hospital bill.

Source: Legit.ng