By Dare Akogun
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has ordered the closure of universities across the country to enable students to participate in the February 25 and March 11 general elections.
In a letter addressed to vice-chancellors of all universities and directors of inter-university centres, the NUC noted that the directive is based on the instruction of the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
Varsities are directed to shut down and suspend academic activities on February 22 and March 14 for students to actively participate in the polls.
“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, February 25, 2023, for the Presidential and National Assembly, and Saturday, March 11, 2023, for Gubernatorial and State Assembly, respectively,” the letter partly read.
“In view of the foregoing and concerns expressed on the security of staff, students and properties of our respective institutions, the Honourable Minister of Education, Mal. Adama Adamu 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 22 February and 14th March 2023.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in January presented a register containing 93,469,008 voters for the 2023 general elections.
The voter distribution also revealed that 44,414,846 registered voters are females, and 49,054,162 are males.
Of the total registered voters, the number of young people between the ages of 18 and 34 stood at 37,060,399, representing 39.65% of total registered voters while the elderly between the ages of 50 and 69 stood at 17,700,270, representing 18.94% of the total registered voters.
