Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the ongoing crisis affecting dental students at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), stressing that no student should suffer due to leadership or institutional failures.

Obi made this known in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Saturday, where he expressed deep concern over the issue. The crisis involves graduation and induction delays for dental students due to a quota-related dispute, reportedly tied to regulatory or administrative issues.

The former governor explained that he became fully aware of the situation after visiting the Faculty of Dental Studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), where he was briefed about the ongoing problem at UNICAL.

“Whatever the root cause, one thing is clear: no student should suffer due to what I consider a failure of leadership,” Obi said. He stressed that the country must prioritize education, especially in crucial sectors like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Drawing from personal experience, Obi recalled a similar situation during his time as Anambra State governor when the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria shut down the medical school at Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University due to the absence of a teaching hospital.

“In that case, students were already years into their medical degrees but risked graduating in unrelated fields,” he said. “We stepped in, built a teaching hospital in 18 months, and restored the school’s accreditation. That’s the kind of urgency and responsibility this situation requires.”

Obi called on the Federal Government to support UNICAL both financially and institutionally so the university leadership can resolve the issue without delay.

“The Vice Chancellor and her team must be empowered to act swiftly. No student should pay the price for problems beyond their control,” he added.

He also used the opportunity to warn against Nigeria’s ongoing neglect of critical sectors like education and healthcare, urging authorities to invest in areas that directly shape the future of young Nigerians.

The call from Obi comes as affected students and their families continue to express frustration over delays that could impact their careers, further fueling the growing debate around the management of tertiary education in Nigeria.