Bauchi residents have commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime for shutting down universities because of the February 25 and March 11 elections.

A cross-section of the residents who spoke to journalists on Wednesday in Bauchi described it as a “welcome development.”

On February 9, through the National Universities Commission, the regime ordered universities to shut down nationwide for the national and state polls.

Ahmed Shehu, a parent, said the gesture would enable students to participate in the election and exercise their franchise.

“And if the schools are open where lectures would be going on, they would not be able to leave schools to go and cast their votes in their various places of registration,” Mr Shehu explained. “What this means, in essence, is that the government would be denying them their constitutional rights. So what the government did in this regard is right and commendable.” 

Another resident, Ibrahim Ali, said the gesture indicated the regime’s commitment to protecting life and property.

“For the government to have taken the decision after a perceived security threat to the staff, students, and properties of the institutions shows that it is more concerned about the wellbeing of its citizens,” he said.

However, Olubunmi Akintoye, a student, said he wanted more from the decision as students who registered to vote in school, including him, would be disenfranchised.

“Elections would come up on February 25 and March 11. why declare a three-week break for the institutions? One of the reasons why I do not subscribe to the decision is that universities are just trying to balance up the deficit of time wasted during the last industrial action,” Mr Akintoye stated. “Nothing should have interrupted academic activities in this regard.”

Also commenting, the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) vice-chancellor, Bauchi, Muhammad AbdulAzeez, said the university had closed, adding that the students would resume on March 14 in line with the federal government directives.

“I would like to urge the students to behave well because when you come to the university, the first thing is not about a degree,” Mr AbdulAzeez explained. “You must be found worthy of character and learning. So, character comes first before learning.”

(NAN)