Peter Obi Calls For FG’s Intervention In UNICAL Dental Students’ Crisis

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged the Federal Government to immediately intervene in the growing crisis affecting dental students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), stressing that delays in graduation and induction quotas threaten the academic future of many young Nigerians.

According to iReporter Online, Obi expressed deep concern over the matter following his visit to the Faculty of Dental Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he was fully briefed on the challenges unfolding at UNICAL.

While acknowledging that the UNICAL Vice Chancellor has promised to address the issue, Obi called for swift and decisive federal action to support the university’s leadership. “No student should suffer as a result of leadership failure,” Obi stated in his reaction. He emphasized the urgent need to protect educational access—especially in critical fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)—and warned that bureaucratic setbacks should not derail the futures of determined students.

According to iReporter Online, Obi recounted a similar challenge he faced during his tenure as Governor of Anambra State, when the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria threatened to shut down the medical program at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University due to the absence of a teaching hospital. Students who had already invested years of study faced the grim reality of graduating without medical qualifications. Obi recalled how he personally appealed to the Council, pledging to take responsibility and build a teaching hospital within two years. Despite being told it was impossible, he delivered the Odumegwu-Ojukwu Teaching Hospital in Awka in just 18 months, preserving the school’s accreditation and safeguarding students’ futures.

Drawing a parallel with the current UNICAL situation, Obi urged the Federal Government to prioritize educational development by providing financial and institutional backing to the university’s management. “The Federal Government must act urgently,” he said, “to ensure no student is punished for a problem they did not create.” According to iReporter Online, Obi’s comments reflect growing concerns about the state of Nigeria’s tertiary education system, especially in vital disciplines like dentistry and medicine.

Obi warned against the continued erosion of public education and healthcare, pointing out that the nation cannot afford to sacrifice its youth’s potential. He emphasized that misallocation of resources must give way to deliberate investments in education that empower the next generation and lift people out of poverty.

As the UNICAL dental crisis garners national attention, the former governor’s intervention has intensified calls for both accountability and immediate action. Stakeholders and affected students now await concrete steps from the federal authorities and the university administration to resolve the issue and safeguard academic progress for those caught in the crossfire of institutional dysfunction.

”IREPORTER REPORTS”