As the 2019 general elections draw near, stakeholders have said that the exercise may hinder early resumption of students to their various institutions of learning.
The delayed resumption, in their view, may also deny the varsity students the opportunity to exercise their civic rights on February 16 and March 26 as most of them were registered for the elections in their various campuses.
 After several deadlocked meetings between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU), the lecturers have finally decided to go back to work. But some stakeholders opined that students might still be forced to stay at home until after the general election.
I applied to be a supervisor during the election. ASUU has not prevented us from participating in election duty (but) we are not expected to engage in academic activities. If the strike is called off, we will continue with the national assignment and resume after elections. Election is a national assignment and we will participate because it is for the betterment of our country as a w
On the one hand, some parents said even if the schools should resume immediately, they would not want to release their children at the moment, considering the uncertainty of the coming elections.
On the other hand, some lecturers have said there may be no need for the students to go back to school before the elections hold as many of them will work as ad-hoc staff to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The President, ASUU, Prof. Ogunyemi Biodun, told our correspondent, during an interview, that the union members were free to participate as ad-hoc staff in the coming elections whether the schools resumed or not.
Ogunyemi, who described the called off strike as successful, had said, “Over 90 per cent of our members are still together and that is good enough for us because what we are doing now is a movement and those who fail to participate will regret their actions.”
Meanwhile, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has since broken away from the union.
If university students, however, continue to stay away from school, analysts are of the view that majority of them, who obtained their Permanent Voter’s Cards in school, may be disenfranchised.
In an interview with The Point, a lecturer at the Department of Psychology, University of Lagos, Akoka, Prof. Oni Fagbohungbe, disclosed that he would participate in election duty.
A day before the strike was called off, he said, “I applied to be a supervisor during the election. ASUU has not prevented us from participating in election duty (but) we are not expected to engage in academic activities. If the strike is called off, we will continue with the national assignment and resume after elections. Election is a national assignment and we will participate because it is for the betterment of our country as a whole.”
Prof. Oluyemi Fagbon from the OAU chapter of ASUU, said, “Training has commenced for ad-hoc staff. I applied so I will be participating (in elections duty) for the sake of democracy. This is my own contribution to Nigeria to enhance a free and fair election. I am a full member of ASUU and I will participate in the election (duty).”
An English Language lecturer from the University of Uyo, Dr. Garvey Ufot, said he would be pre-occupied with election duties, even if school resumes.
Meanwhile, a parent, Mr. Funsho Ajibade, has said that even now that the strike has been called off, he will not release his child to resume at school.
Judging by the spate of violence at campaign rallies across the country, he said nobody was sure of adequate security of lives and property during the election period.
Ajibade said, “The way things are going in this country is terrible; there is violence everywhere. Look at the rallies and primary elections; imagine our children being out during the election period. I do not want them to be victims of crises.
“Some of my friends told their children to come home even though their schools are not on strike.”
Mrs. Obi Margaret, a single mother, who spoke to The Point, said she would ensure that her children were at home, under her watch to keep them away from violence.
She said, “Look at the policemen that are being killed. Things are not in order in the country. I will not allow my children to resume to school at this time, considering the coming elections. They are the only ones I have. Everyone is scared.
“I told my children not to apply as ad-hoc staff as I heard of people being threatened.”
ASUU had, on November 4, 2018 embarked on an indefinite strike in protest against the Federal Government’s failure to implement some of the agreements signed with the union on September 14, 2017.
