The Federal Ministry of Education has halted a planned national election of the National Parents Teachers Association of Nigeria, citing alleged constitutional breaches.


Adeolu Ogunbanjo, chairman of the board of trustees, NAPTAN, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.


The development followed disagreements between factions over the association’s leadership.


Mr Ogunbanjo said the election scheduled for Monday in Abuja by the faction led by Haruna Danjuma and Ekundayo Ademola breached NAPTAN’s constitution.


He said the constitution stipulated that national elections should be conducted between April and May. According to him, the timing of the proposed election therefore became a major concern for the ministry.


He said the ministry also questioned the current leadership’s continued stay, noting the constitution prescribed a four-year tenure.


“The present leadership has been in office for over 20 years, despite the constitutional provision limiting the tenure of executives to four years,” he said.


Mr Ogunbanjo disclosed that other concerns reportedly raised by the ministry included allegations of importing delegates for the election. He added that the ministry also cited a pending court matter in Osun involving Ademola.


The BOT chairman, however, said the issues required resolution through dialogue, reconciliation and strict adherence to NAPTAN’s constitutional provisions. Mr Ogunbanjo said the ministry directed the contending factions to return to dialogue and resolve their differences before any fresh election attempt.


He said the crisis emerged at a critical period when parents needed a united platform to participate effectively in education policy discussions.


Mr Ogunbanjo said major education reforms and policy engagements expected ahead of 2027 made resolving the association’s internal differences more urgent. He urged the contending parties to prioritise Nigerian children and the education system through transparency, unity and constitutional compliance.


He said a credible and united parents’ association remained vital to ensuring parents’ concerns were adequately represented in national education policy discussions.

(NAN)