The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has declared the Labour Party’s former presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, persona non grata across all polytechnic campuses in Nigeria over what they described as a false and unverified statement he made regarding student elections at Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the NAPS President, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, accused Obi of misleading the public and failing to apologise after being called out.
“Even more concerning is the pattern emerging from his actions. Mr. Obi, without due verification, recently misled the public with false information regarding the student union government (SUG) elections in Auchi Polytechnic,” Oghayan stated.
He referenced a statement made by Obi, in which the former Anambra governor said: “I watched a heartbreaking video that showed students in Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State running for their lives as they were being shot at during their student election yesterday, which left two students dead and several injured.”
Oghayan said this account was not only inaccurate but also “reckless,” noting that Obi went further to compare the student unrest to political violence allegedly perpetrated by Nigerian leaders.
According to Oghayan, “We, as the direct custodians of student welfare, held a press conference and called on Mr. Obi to retract the statement and issue a public apology, especially to the student community of Auchi Polytechnic. Yet, he remained silent. The same man who built his campaign around ‘go and verify’ failed to verify before peddling unsubstantiated claims. That is not leadership; it is manipulation.”
Oghayan announced the association’s final decision: “Having failed to retract his false statement and refusing to issue a public apology to the student community in Auchi Polytechnic and the nation at large, we are left with no choice.
“By the moral authority and Constitutional responsibility vested in the office of the President of NAPS, I, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, hereby declare Mr. Peter Obi as persona non grata on all campuses of our institutions across the country, with a mandated distance of not less than 10 kilometres from any student community.
“This is not vengeance. It is a call for accountability. Leadership cannot preach what it refuses to practice. Influence must not become an avenue for institutional interference.”
The NAPS president also addressed Obi’s claim that Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, had barred him from the state. He clarified that the governor’s directive was not personal but a standard security measure.
“Governor Okpebholo may have spoken with bluntness, but his concern was rooted in security intelligence and recent events. If any high-profile visit carries a track record of civil unrest and casualties, then a call for security coordination is not just justified – it is essential. Indeed, reports confirmed that three lives were tragically lost shortly after Mr Obi’s last visit to the state. In light of such unrest, what responsible governor would fold his arms and play passive?” he asked.
Oghayan acknowledged Obi’s N15 million donation to St. Philomena’s Catholic Hospital, commending his generosity but questioning its consistency with his campaign mantra.
“This is the same Mr. Obi, who famously declared during his campaign that ‘he doesn’t give shishi,’ a slogan that became both a mantra and identity of his political movement. But today, we see him making high-profile donations in public glare. Is this growth or contradiction?” he queried.
He also warned that high-profile donations to faith-based institutions should be handled with “strategic discretion” and in consultation with security authorities to avoid unintended consequences.
“Otherwise, such institutions may become unintended targets of violence – as evidenced by the chaos that followed his recent visit,” he concluded.
