The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has refuted claims by Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi that students were killed during a recent crisis at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State.
At a press conference in Abuja, NAPS President, Comrade Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, accused Obi of spreading misinformation and politicising a sensitive issue without proper verification.
Reacting to Obi’s statement on X (formerly Twitter), where he claimed that two students were fatally shot during the Student Union Government (SUG) election violence, Oghayan insisted that no lives were lost during the unrest.
“We are here not just as student leaders but as guardians of truth,” Oghayan said. “Our independent electoral observers, along with video footage, audio evidence, medical reports, and multiple stakeholder testimonies, confirm that no student died. There were only minor injuries due to tear gas exposure — no hospitalisations, and certainly no deaths.”
He criticised Obi for failing to live up to his own mantra of “go and verify,” calling the LP leader’s remarks a “deliberate fabrication weaponised for political clout.”
“If he cannot produce the names, faces, or families of the alleged victims, then it’s propaganda, pure and simple,” Oghayan stated. “This is not just hypocrisy. It’s a betrayal of philosophy, a commodification of grief, and an exploitation of students for political gain.”
NAPS demanded a formal apology and retraction from Obi, to be published on the front pages of at least four national newspapers within 72 hours. Failure to comply, they warned, would trigger massive peaceful protests and picketing at Obi’s business and political offices nationwide.
The union also praised the polytechnic’s rector, Dr. Salisu Shehu Umar, for his leadership during the crisis and called for a committee to investigate the root causes to prevent future disruptions.