By SIMON EBEGBULEM
FORMER Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, Wednesday, faulted the decision by the Federal Government to close down schools due to the forthcoming voter registration exercise.

He argued that the exercise from the inception of the country’s democracy, had always been done while schools were in session. He described the reasons given by the Federal Government that the exercise will endanger the lives of the students as unacceptable.

Owie who also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for displaying maturity in the conduct of the Delta State governorship re-run election, just as he congratulated Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for his victory. He called on the Federal Government to rescind the decision to close down schools for the exercise.

According to him, “the major problem we have now is that the present monetized political system in Nigeria has thrown up many political office holders, who have not even taken part in elections before, either as party agents or electoral officers.

“There is no point depriving our children the opportunity to go to school because of registration of voters  and I appeal to the Federal Government not to go ahead with the decision,” he added.