Election Postponement: University lecturers lament
The Academic Staff Union of Universities condemned the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly polls, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
The National President of ASUU, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, told NAN that the country would be the laughing stock of the world because of the development.
He said, “It is not yet clear to us what could have really led to this dent in our country’s image.
“We shall be issuing our statement on this as soon as we are through with our findings.”
Former head of the University of Lagos political science department, Prof Solomon Akinboye, described the postponement as a national calamity.
According to him, the development has affected the country economically and socially.
He said, “The implication of this development is negative. Look at observers from the international community. Some of them have been here days to this election. They decided to suspend their engagements just to ensure the success of the elections.
“Does it mean they are idle? What will be their thought about us? What will happen next? Should they continue waiting till the new date?
“Some of them will be forced to go back to their countries and therefore the consequence will be that the integrity of the process may not be guaranteed.
“It is as sad as disappointing that this is happening now, as economic activities are already being affected.”
He added, “I was thinking that Prof Yakubu would have sustained and even improve on Prof Jega’s legacy but with the development, that is not going to be after all.
“This will cast a dark shadow on his integrity.” Akinboye noted that INEC’s reasons for cancelling the polls were not acceptable.
“I must say this is a huge slap on our development as a nation and democracy,” Akinboye said.
A senior lecturer in the University of Lagos Department of Mass Communication, Dr Olubunmi Ajibade, described the development as a show of national shame.
He said, “This development is sad. It shows that as a nation, we do not plan well.
“Earlier in the week, INEC claimed that it was set for the polls.”
He added, “Academic activities have been suspended just to see these elections through, and now this is what we get.
“As a matter of fact, I will recommend that the position of the INEC chairman be reviewed immediately after the entire polls.”
Meanwhile, a source at King’s College, Lagos, told NAN that only the Federal Ministry of Education was in position to decide when the pupils would return to school following the postponement of the elections.
The source said, “Our pupils were released on Thursday, to be back on Tuesday. But following the election postponement, we do not know what is going to happen.
“We are expecting further directives from the Federal Ministry of Education on the next line of action.”
Source: The Punch
