Students protest in Edo, want new date for gov’ship election

Hundreds of secondary school students yesterday called on concerned authority to shift the date of the Edo State governorship election slated for September 10 because it clashed with their Mathematics examination fixed by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The students, who stormed the Government House in Benin with placards, said holding the examination and the poll same day would disenfranchise them.
The spokesman of the students, Iko Emmanuel Moses, said they were against any plan to move them to other states for the Mathematics examination as planned by WAEC which, he said, would not only disorganise them but also put them at a disadvantage.
“The plan to relocate us out of our immediate community to sit for the examination because of the election in Edo State, as scheduled by INEC, is an ill-wind which will affect our chance to perform well. We find this situation very disturbing, discouraging and we cannot take the risk.
“Conduciveness of environment has a great impact on the performance and outcome of examinations for students. We enrolled for this examination in Edo State, and we have prepared for the examination in Edo State environment. We are used to the environment for safety, comfort, accessibility of examination centres and psychology,” he said.
The students therefore called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Adams Oshiomhole to come to their aid, pointing out that their future must not be sacrificed for election.
Responding, Governor Adams Oshiomhole said he would pass their protest letter to the President, saying that the election was fixed by INEC, which is an independent body.
“I was not consulted when the election for September 10 was scheduled. By law, INEC has the power to make those decisions. The law doesn’t oblige them to consult with me or to seek my approval,’’ he said.