The Federal Government has appealed to Nigerian students to mobilise 10 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The call was made by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, during a meeting with leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and other student organisations in Abuja on Thursday.
Alausa argued that students have a direct stake in the outcome of the 2027 election because government policies will influence education, skills development, employment opportunities and access to tertiary education.
He urged the student leadership to support the continuation of the Tinubu administration, pointing to initiatives involving student financing, technical and vocational education, infrastructure and access to tertiary education.
The minister’s appeal places students and their electoral influence more directly within the political mobilisation efforts surrounding the 2027 presidential contest.
The 10-million-vote target is an ambitious political objective and reflects the growing attention being paid to young Nigerians as parties and political movements develop their campaign structures.
Alausa said continuity was important for consolidating reforms already underway in the education sector.
The Federal Government has highlighted programmes such as the Nigerian Education Loan Fund as part of its efforts to expand access to financing for students.
The minister’s intervention, however, also puts the government’s education record under greater political scrutiny, as students remain directly affected by tuition pressures, accommodation challenges, unemployment and broader economic conditions.
The call for student mobilisation comes just days after political campaigns for the 2027 general elections officially commenced.
The development demonstrates how student organisations are increasingly becoming a target of political mobilisation as parties seek to secure support among younger voters.
While the minister made the appeal specifically in relation to Tinubu’s re-election bid, the final decision on voting remains with individual eligible voters.