UNIJOS MAKES HISTORY: BEATS BAYERO UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, UNN TO WIN MAIDEN INEC NATIONAL CAMPUS DEBATE AHEAD OF 2027 POLLS

UNIJOS MAKES HISTORY: BEATS BUK, UI, UNN TO WIN MAIDEN INEC NATIONAL CAMPUS DEBATE AHEAD OF 2027 POLLS

By Isaac Uzer

The University of Jos has emerged overall winner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) maiden Campus Debate, beating three other universities.

The grand finale was held on Tuesday, 3rd November, 2026 at the Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, formerly the University of Abuja. UniJos defeated Bayero University Kano (BUK) in the final round to emerge first and win the star prize of N3,5 million.

BUK came second with N2.5 million, the University of Ibadan came third with N1.5 million, while the University of Nigeria, Nsukka finished fourth with N1 million.

The debate, themed *“Nigeria’s Electoral Process and Democracy,”* featured four Universities that qualified after six weeks of preliminary debates held across the country.

The University of Jos team, made up of Law students, impressed the judges with their strong arguments, deep understanding of the electoral process and confident presentation throughout the competition.

Speaking at the event, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, said the competition was organised to promote civic engagement and prepare young Nigerians for active participation in the electoral process.

He said young people represent the country’s future leadership, noting that the Commission remains committed to encouraging their involvement in democratic activities, especially as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Professor Amupitan, also commended the judges for transparent scoring, saying the quality of the debate was so high that the contest could have gone either way.

In a goodwill message, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, said the initiative was aimed at encouraging students to examine critical issues concerning the Commission and the electoral process.

He noted that civic responsibility goes beyond voting to include staying informed, holding INEC accountable and understanding electoral issues.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya, has congratulated the University’s debate team for the victory. Professor Ishaya described the victory as a proud moment for the University and a clear reflection of its commitment to academic excellence, discipline and dedication.

He commended the students for representing the institution with distinction, courage and intellectual depth, and for beating other top universities in the country to clinch the first position.

According to the Vice-Chancellor, the win has once again placed the University of Jos on the national map as a centre of excellence where students are groomed not only for academic success, but also for leadership and national service.

The Vice-Chancellor was in Abuja to personally welcome the UniJos team, which was led by the Dean of Students Affairs Professor Christopher Piwuna, ahead of the grand finale where he received them at their hotel, stayed with them to supervise their rehearsals, and made sure he was at the venue to ensure the students were safe and well-supported throughout the competition. After the victory, Professor Ishaya took the students out on an outing where he rejoiced, danced and celebrated with them. The Team returned  safely to Jos. 

According to the Vice-Chancellor, there will be a formal presentation of the students to the University Management, where the award and the prize will be formally presented to the students.

Reacting to the victory, Esther Darlington, a student of the winning University of Jos team, described the debate as intellectually demanding.

She expressed gratitude to the University and INEC for the opportunity to acquire more knowledge about INEC and its activities.

Members of the University of Jos community have also continued to celebrate the win, describing it as a testament to the quality of teaching, mentorship and training in the University.

A major highlight of the event was the presentation of instant cash prizes of N50,000 each to students who correctly answered questions on INEC’s activities.