By John Alechenu
ABUJA — Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on Nigerian leaders at all levels to prioritize education and the welfare of citizens, warning that students should not be made to suffer the consequences of leadership failures.
In a post shared on his verified X handle on Saturday, Obi expressed deep concern over the growing neglect faced by medical and dental students in state-owned universities, which he said is threatening their academic progression through no fault of their own.
Obi wrote, “Following my visit yesterday to the Faculty of Dental Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), I was inundated with troubling reports regarding the situation at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), where issues surrounding the dental students’ graduation and induction quotas have raised serious concern.”
He acknowledged the assurance given by UNICAL’s Vice Chancellor, who reportedly promised to resolve the issue, and expressed hope for a prompt and positive resolution.
“Whatever the root cause, one thing is clear: no student should suffer due to what I consider a failure of leadership,” Obi stated. “We must give our youth the necessary education, especially in critical fields like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).”
Obi emphasized that education in these fields is too vital to be jeopardized by bureaucratic or institutional lapses, adding that students should be allowed to complete their studies and graduate on time without compromising academic standards.
Reflecting on his time as Governor of Anambra State, Obi recounted a similar crisis he inherited when the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria shut down the medical school at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University due to the absence of a teaching hospital.
“Students who had spent three to four years studying medicine were told they could only graduate in other science disciplines. I had barely assumed office when I met the crisis, but I refused to let those innocent students become victims,” he said.
Obi said he personally appealed to the Council and took full responsibility, committing to build a functional teaching hospital within two years. Against all odds, he completed the project in under 18 months — what is now the Odumegwu Ojukwu Teaching Hospital in Awka — thereby preserving the accreditation of the medical school and saving the future of many aspiring doctors.
He urged the Federal Government to intervene in the UNICAL situation by providing both financial and institutional support to enable the university leadership to resolve the crisis without delay.
“The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar and her team must be empowered to resolve this issue immediately, to ensure that no student is made to suffer for circumstances beyond their control,” he said.
Obi concluded with a broader call for renewed national focus on education and healthcare, warning that Nigeria cannot afford to continue neglecting these vital sectors while diverting resources to areas that yield little or no tangible value.
“Our children must not continue to lose their future in Nigeria,” he warned.
The post Our students shouldn’t be victimized for leadership failures — Peter Obi appeared first on Vanguard News.
