Shettima To Students: You Must Have A Voice In National Decision-making
* Assures them Tinubu’ll sustain undisrupted academic calendars in schools * NANS endorses president for second term, to mobilise 10m votes for his re-election Deji Elumoye in Abuja Vice-President Kashim
Vice-President Kashim Shettima's remarks come amid sustained efforts by the Tinubu administration to court Nigeria's youth and student population, a demographic that forms a significant share of the electorate and has grown increasingly vocal on issues ranging from the cost of living to education funding and disruptions caused by incessant ASUU strikes. Engagements with bodies such as the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have long been a feature of Nigerian politics, with successive governments seeking the backing of student unions to boost legitimacy and mobilise young voters ahead of elections.
The coverage from ThisDay and Leadership both centre on Shettima's call for students to be treated as stakeholders with a voice in national affairs, alongside assurances of stable academic calendars. ThisDay additionally reports that NANS used the occasion to endorse President Tinubu for a second term and pledge to mobilise ten million votes for his re-election — a detail not mentioned in Leadership's account. Neither report provides specifics on what concrete mechanisms, if any, would be created to formalise student input into government decision-making.