Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado-Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola, has condemned Federal Government’s decision to close all universities in the country during the general elections.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, had recently issued a directive, through Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed, asking all universities to shut down for three weeks.
But in his reaction to the development, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) maintained that the minister lacks statutory powers to direct NUC accordingly, adding that forced closure of universities by the minister and NUC has done irreparable damage to students.
Babalola made the disclosure at ABUAD, Ado-Ekiti, yesterday, during the institution’s 5th induction ceremony for 123 medical doctors.He said: “The problem has been worsened by scarcity of money in banks and automated teller machines, all of which make transportation back home more dangerous than ever before.
“Under the NUC Act of 1974 and the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act of 1985, the minister has no statutory power to issue a directive to NUC to close down universities. I refer in particular to Section 4(2) of the 1974 (NUC) Act.
“If you want to destroy a nation, you don’t need bayonets, bombs or nuclear warheads. All you need is destroy the education of the nation.
“The illegal closure has adversely affected the curriculum, particularly, in respect of private universities, which are reputed for their predictable academic calendar and absence of strike actions.”
Babalola added that Nigeria has the Criminal Code and other legislations, which government and law enforcement agents could evoke to deal with persons, whom security agents believe are likely to put staff, students and institutions in jeopardy.
The Registrar, Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. T. Sanusi, inducted the doctors into the medical profession.
