The House of Representatives has taken steps to resolve the prolonged dispute over the admission of law graduates from the National Open University of Nigeria into the Nigerian Law School for Bar training. A petition signed by the leaders of the affected graduates' association prompted the intervention. The petitioners, representing over 5,000 graduates, urged the House to intervene in the matter. They emphasized the need for a resolution to the impasse that has hindered their admission into the Nigerian Law School.
The House Committee on Public Petitions invited the National Open University of Nigeria and the Council of Legal Education to explain the circumstances surrounding the dispute. However, both institutions failed to appear at the hearing, citing official assignments and requesting fresh dates. The NOUN Registrar, Oladipo Ajayi, attributed the absence of the university's Vice-Chancellor to an official assignment. The Committee's invitation aimed to shed light on the reasons behind the prolonged denial of admission to the law graduates.
According to NOUN, it suspended admission into its LLB programme in 2015 after the Council of Legal Education rejected the admission of its law graduates into the Nigerian Law School. In 2019, NOUN submitted 1,883 graduates to the CLE, later correcting the figure to 1,973 after discovering 90 omitted graduates. The university submitted another 2,226 graduates who completed their studies between 2019 and May 2022. However, the CLE rejected the submission, alleging that NOUN had continued admitting students after 2015.
NOUN denied the allegation, stating that the affected students were admitted before the suspension and completed their studies at later dates. The university maintains that it followed due process in its submissions to the CLE. The dispute has left over 5,000 graduates in uncertainty, awaiting admission into the Nigerian Law School. The graduates' association has been pressing for a resolution to the matter.
The Nigerian Law School, in a letter signed by its Director-General, Dr. Olugbemisola Odusote, also cited an official assignment for its absence and requested a rescheduled hearing. The Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Akin Rotimi, presented the petition to the House in July. He assured that efforts would be made to secure a fair and lasting resolution.
The intervention by the House of Representatives aims to address the concerns of the affected graduates. The Committee's efforts will focus on finding a solution that will enable the graduates to gain admission into the Nigerian Law School. The dispute has lingered for an extended period, causing uncertainty for the graduates.
A resolution to the dispute is expected to bring relief to the over 5,000 affected graduates. The House of Representatives' intervention is seen as a move to address the concerns of the graduates and ensure that they are given a fair opportunity to pursue their careers in law. The Committee's actions will be crucial in determining the next steps in resolving the admission dispute.
Key points
- The House of Representatives has intervened in the dispute over the admission of NOUN law graduates into the Nigerian Law School.
- Over 5,000 graduates have been affected by the prolonged denial of admission into the Nigerian Law School.
- The dispute centers on allegations that NOUN continued admitting students after 2015, which the university denies.
