Peter Obi to University Authorities: Give students holiday to go and vote

Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi has urged university authorities to give students a break to travel home or to destinations that they registered to vote in the February 25 and March 11 elections.

This is as he has raised concerns over the failure of some Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voters Cards ( PVCs).

He  stated this during a meeting with observers from the European Union Election Observation Mission EU-EOM Monday evening.

In recent weeks,  students and parents have complained that due to eight months strike by university lecturers most of them were home and registered outside their campuses  and needed a break to travel home to register.

Obi while answering a question on the fate of about 3.5 million students feared to lose their rights to exercise their franchise owing to crowded academic fixtures like examinations and tests fixed during the election dates said: “I am sure INEC will do the right thing. I am sure the universities will give them the break to go and vote. It is important because it is about their future This election is about these young people and I’m sure they will allow them to go and vote. We will continue to mention it to them as we go along.”

On the challenges being witnessed on some areas by voters in collecting their PVCs, he said: “For me now, what is important is ensuring that people collect their PVCs. There are some areas where people are still complaining that they are being denied their PVCs for one reason or the other. INEC must give them attention. But I must give INEC credit for extending the date for the collection of PVC but again I urge them to ensure that people collect their PVC. This election is very important to Nigerians. It is an existential election. We want all those that have registered to participate.”