The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has declared former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, persona non grata across all polytechnic campuses in Nigeria, citing his failure to retract what they described as false and misleading claims regarding a recent student election in Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State.

 

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, NAPS President, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, accused Obi of spreading unverified information that painted a false picture of violence and fatalities during the student union elections.

 

“In a widely circulated statement, Mr. Obi claimed he saw a video of Auchi Polytechnic students running for their lives during an election, which he alleged left two students dead and several injured,” Oghayan stated. “That information was not only false, it was reckless.”

 

Obi’s original comment also drew a parallel between student conduct and the behavior of political leaders, suggesting that the student unrest stemmed from national political dysfunction — a statement Oghayan described as manipulative and damaging to the image of Nigerian students.

 

“We, as custodians of student welfare, called on Mr. Obi to retract the statement and apologise to the students of Auchi Polytechnic. He has remained silent,” Oghayan said. “The same man who campaigned on ‘go and verify’ has failed to verify his own claims. That is not leadership; it is manipulation.”

 

As a result, NAPS invoked what it described as its “moral authority and constitutional responsibility” to bar Peter Obi from all polytechnic campuses nationwide.

 

“Mr. Peter Obi is hereby declared persona non grata in all student communities under our jurisdiction, with a mandated distance of no less than 10 kilometers from any polytechnic campus,” Oghayan declared. “This is not vengeance. It is a call for accountability.”

 

He also responded to Obi’s claim that Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo barred him from the state, clarifying that the governor’s actions were based on security concerns.

 

“Governor Okpebholo may have spoken bluntly, but his concerns were rooted in recent unrest,” Oghayan said. “Reports confirmed that three lives were lost shortly after Mr. Obi’s last visit. No responsible governor would ignore that.”

 

While acknowledging Obi’s N15 million donation to St. Philomena’s Catholic Hospital, the students’ leader questioned the contradiction with Obi’s previous “no shishi” campaign slogan.

 

“This is the same Mr. Obi who said he doesn’t give ‘shishi,’ yet we now see high-profile donations. Is this growth or contradiction?” he asked.

 

Oghayan concluded by urging public figures to exercise discretion and responsibility, especially during visits to sensitive communities.