Reps Intervene Over 5,000 NOUN Law Graduates’ Exclusion from Law School

​The House of Representatives has initiated legislative measures to resolve the prolonged deadlock concerning the exclusion of over 5,000 law graduates from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) from gaining admission into the Nigerian Law School.

​The parliamentary action follows a formal petition submitted by the affected alumni under the umbrella of the “Backlog of Law Graduates of the National Open University of Nigeria.” The petitioners are seeking urgent intervention to end years of professional stagnation, which has left them unable to undergo mandatory Bar training and examinations for the Call to Bar.

​Background to the Regulatory Impasse

​The dispute dates back to 2015, following an accreditation visit by a National Universities Commission (NUC) team to evaluate NOUN’s Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme. While awaiting the panel’s findings, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) announced its refusal to admit NOUN law graduates into the Nigerian Law School.

​In response, university management suspended further admissions into the law programme in 2015. However, friction persists between the regulatory authorities and the institution regarding subsequent batches.

​While NOUN maintains that students affected were already admitted prior to the 2015 suspension and completed their studies over a staggered period, regulatory bodies have contested the timeline and total volume of graduates submitted for remedial consideration. A previous special remedial arrangement in 2020 catered to an initial batch of 1,883 graduates, but subsequent lists numbering over 2,200 alumni faced rejection by the CLE.

​Legislative Intervention and Stalled Hearings

​Taking up the mantle, the House Committee on Public Petitions summoned key stakeholders—including representatives from NOUN and the Nigerian Law School—to an investigative hearing. However, both institutions failed to appear.

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​NOUN submitted an official letter explaining the absence of its Vice-Chancellor, while the Nigerian Law School, through its Director-General, Dr. Olugbemisola Odusote, cited overlapping official engagements and requested an alternative hearing date.

​Lawmakers have expressed strong commitment to bringing closure to the protracted issue, emphasizing that innocent students should not bear the brunt of administrative or inter-agency disagreements. The House is expected to reschedule the investigative session to establish a fair and lasting framework for the affected graduates.