UNILAG Announces Closure Date, Instructs Students to Leave Campus 

With the declaration of lecture-free weeks in February and March, UNILAG students would be able to vote in presidential, national assembly, governorship, and state house of assembly elections.

The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, has asked students to vacate the campus ahead of the February 25th presidential election.

The school approved lecture-free weeks in February and March to allow students to participate in the electoral process.

The announcement was contained in UNILAG Campus News made available to Team PLATO, titled: “Fourth Revised Academic Calendar for second semester, 2021/2022 session.

UNILAG declared a lecture-free week from Thursday, February 23rd to Thursday, February 27th in the revised academic calendar to allow students to vote in the presidential election on Saturday, February 24th.

The university Senate also declared a lecture-free week from March 9th to March 13th to allow students to vote in the gubernatorial election on Saturday, March 11th.

With the declaration of lecture-free weeks in February and March, UNILAG students will be able to vote in presidential, national assembly, governorship, and state house of assembly elections.

According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), students make up 40% of newly registered voters for the 2023 general elections.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, stated that 7.2 million new voters are between the ages of 18 and 34, with 3.8 million (40.8 percent) being students.
The academic calendar for most tertiary institutions for the 2021/2022 session revealed that no provision was made for students to take a break to vote at their various polling units.

Some lecturers have also stated that it is not their responsibility to suspend classes to allow students to vote, but rather the responsibility of the Senate and Academic Board of universities and polytechnics.

Concerned about the situation, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) had earlier called for a two-week break to allow students to vote in the presidential and governorship elections on February 25th and March 11th, respectively.

TEAM PLATO REPORTS