The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has called on former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, to issue a public clarification regarding his recent comments about the student union election crisis at Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State.

Mr. Obi, in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter), had decried what he described as a growing culture of lawlessness in Nigeria, linking alleged violence during the election to broader issues of public conduct. He claimed that two students had died after being shot during the incident.

However, during a press conference in Abuja on Monday, NAPS President, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, stated that no fatalities occurred during the unrest. He said an Independent Electoral Observation Team deployed to the institution reported no deaths, citing videos, medical reports, observer findings, and stakeholder accounts.

“On behalf of over 28 million Nigerian polytechnic students, we wish to clarify that based on credible evidence available to us, no life was lost during the unfortunate incident at Auchi Polytechnic,” Oghayan said. “Some students experienced mild effects from tear gas, but no one was hospitalized or fatally harmed.”

He said that while Mr. Obi may have made his remarks out of concern, the claims of student deaths were not supported by available facts. Oghayan urged the former presidential candidate to seek verification before issuing public statements to avoid misunderstandings.

“We recognize Mr. Obi’s right to comment on national matters, but in this case, the information provided appears not to reflect the actual events. We respectfully request a public clarification to set the records straight,” he added.

NAPS further appealed to media outlets and public figures to rely on verified information when reporting or commenting on sensitive events involving students or public institutions.

The association commended Auchi Polytechnic Rector, Dr. Salisu Shehu Umar, for his response during the crisis and urged the school’s management to establish a fact-finding committee to investigate the root causes of the disturbances and prevent a recurrence.

Oghayan concluded by affirming the union’s commitment to peaceful advocacy and constructive engagement with all stakeholders, including political leaders, on issues affecting Nigerian students.