2023 Election: FG Orders Closure Of All Universities

Adamu Adamu, the minister of education, has instructed vice chancellors to order a three-week closure of all universities in the nation after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) provided guarantees that the general elections will go place as scheduled this month. NewsReport gathered.

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The regulating body, the National Universities Commission (NUC), issued a circular on Thursday in Abuja stating that the affected universities must remain closed from February 22 to March 14, 2023.

The circular which was addressed to vice chancel­lors of all universities and directors, chief executive of inter university centres read, “As vice chancellors of all universities and di­rectors/chief executive of inter university centres are quite aware, the 2023 general elections have been scheduled to hold on Satur­day 25th February 2023, for the Presidential and Nation­al Assembly, and Saturday 11th March 2023 for Guber­natorial and State Assembly, respectively.

“In view of the foregoing and concerns expressed on the security of staff, stu­dents and properties of our respective institutions, the Minister of Education, Adamu 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 14 March, 2023.

“Consequently, vice chancellors, as well as di­rectors’/chief executives of inter-university centres, are by this circular requested to shut down their respective institutions from Wednes­day, 22 February 2023 to Tuesday 14, March 2023”.

Recall that the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, where he gave assurance that the conduct of the election was sacrosanct, ir­respective of challenges oc­casioned by fuel and naira scarcity in the country.