Ukpa Ewa
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Committee (JCC), Anambra State, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Anambra State by at least 10 days.
The students warned that failure to do so within 48 hours would lead to massive protests that could shut down major roads and INEC offices across the state.
Addressing journalists in Awka, the NANS JCC Chairman, Comrade Okpala Matthew Okoye, said INEC was deliberately disenfranchising students with inadequate deployment of machines and personnel to tertiary institutions across the state.
He described the situation as a “coordinated and politically motivated exclusion of students” from the democratic process.
Okoye named the institutions as Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (Igbariam and Uli campuses), and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Awka and Nnewi).
Others are Federal Polytechnic Oko, Federal College of Education Umunze, Anambra State Polytechnic Mgbakwu, and Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe.
He regretted that all these including Anambra State College of Health Obosi have either received no registration equipment or only one non-functional machine.
Time allotted unfair
JCC Chairman said, “The-10 day registration period granted to Anambra is both unfair and discriminatory, especially when states like Edo, Ondo and Osun enjoyed up to 20 days.
“INEC must act now. We are not asking for special treatment, we are demanding our rights,”
He further revealed that at the Igbariam campus of COOU, INEC has not been able to register any student due to faulty machines and poor internet connectivity.
Student leaders across various campuses supported the call for an extension, sharing similar experiences of neglect and exclusion.
SUG President of Federal College of Education (Technical) Umunze, Comrade Anyigor Solomon, regretted that no INEC officials have visited their school since the exercise began.
“We have reached out countless times, yet no response. Now they cut us off from participating in elections,” he said.
His counterpart at Anambra State Polytechnic Mgbakwu, Comrade Ugochukwu, described the deployment of just one machine as “a joke,”.
The SUG President of Metallurgical Training Institute Onitsha Comrade Nwabueze Victor, alleged that INEC has left the entire institution out.
“Not one person has been registered,” he regretted.
Comrade Asangwo Charles, speaking for the Council of Departmental Presidents at Anambra State College of Health Technology, Obosi, emphasized that voter registration was a fundamental right.
“We are not begging. We are demanding what is ours as Nigerian citizens. INEC must come to our school and register students now,” he said.
