University students have been advised to shun all forms of electoral violence during the break declared by the Nigerian Government to enable citizens to participate in the elections scheduled for February 25 and March 11, 2023.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Cross River State, southern Nigeria, Professor Florence Obi gave the charge during a chat with some journalists in her office.
Professor Obi, who noted that she would be actively engaged in the elections as returning officer, charged her students to return home and participate in the voting process.
The Vice-Chancellor said, “as the students return home following the Nigerian Government’s directive for educational institutions to shut down academic activities until after the elections, I am advising my students to return home to their parents, to their communities and vote.
“I am charging them to be careful and not allow anyone to use them to foment trouble or engage in violence of any kind they are expected to cast their votes based on their conscience and not to be caught in the web of troublemakers or they would be arrested. I pray they have peaceful, stress-free elections and return to school to continue their studies,” she emphasized.
Maintain Integrity
According to the Vice Chancellor, some lecturers would be serving as ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in different capacities, noting that 486 academic staff from the institution was undergoing intensive training to ensure a credible, transparent, free and fair election.
She further advised those participating to “work with all amount of integrity. We should justify our call to service and not be induced to negatively impact the process. We went to Anambra for the elections and we did well there. We have our corporate image to protect and I enjoin all 486 of us to maintain our integrity while we render service to this nation and across the state.”
Speaking further, Obi stated, “we have professors, Ph.D. holders participating in the conduct of election. I expect that we will all be professional considering our responsibility, exposure and integrity. Those of us selected from over 2,000 staff must not forget that we have a duty, a responsibility to give Nigerians the most transparent and credible election ever.”
The Vice Chancellor, who is noted for embarking on transformational projects and programmes especially during vacations, explained that the university management would be embarking on renovations of hostels during the three weeks period.
“The time given is not that long for us to do much. But, our students’ welfare is important to us. So, we are going to embark on renovations of the hostels especially the female hostels. The students asked for it and we see these three weeks as an opportunity to renovate the hostels, that is what we will do and some other renovations. However, there are still some ongoing projects, but I can assure you that our students welfare cannot be compromised,” she said.
It could be recalled that the Nigerian Government had directed schools including tertiary institutions across the country to proceed on vacation from February 22, 2023 and resume on March 15, 2023 after the March 11 election.
N.O
