ASUU Strike: NANS South West Reveals What It Will Do To Politicians
- Amid the ongoing ASUU strike, the National Association of Nigerian Students has vowed to trouble politicians
- The southwest region of the group in a new move and fresh threat issued revealed it has decided to work with its national body
- The southwest coordinator of the union, Comrade Tegbe Stephen Fiyinfoluwa in a chat with Legit.ng disclosed the southwest zone would make sure political activities are messed up
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), southwest zone, has agreed with its national body of disrupting political activities in the country.
NANS issues fresh threat
Recall that a statement signed by Comrade Sunday Asefon, the NANS president, had earlier said that there will be no presidential primaries in Abuja and other states of the federation until the lingering ASUU strike is called off.
Source: Original
ASUU had embarked on an industrial strike nearly 3 months ago. This has forced Nigerian students to vacate universities’ campuses across the country.
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The Nigerian government had engaged the union on several occasions in order to resolve the disagreement leading to the strike. ASUU has, however, remained adamant.
Southwest zone of NANS takes position
Agreeing with the national body of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the southwest coordinator of the union Comrade Tegbe Stephen Fiyinfoluwa, in an exclusive chat with Legit.ng said they remain with the national body in their decision.
He said the zone will, as a result, go ahead to disrupt the primaries of both the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC in the zone.
According to Tegbe:
“We have been waiting for this marching order by the national body of NANS, and now that it has come, we will go ahead to do our job.
“It’s totally unacceptable for politicians to be this insensitive to the plights of people considered to be the future of this country. If we allow politicians to destroy education, where then is our future?”
Tegbe went further to state that unless something urgently is done by both the federal government and ASUU in order to resolve the lingering strike, both PDP and APC should forget gathering for political activities.
“As far as students in the South West are concerned, all political activities in the zone will not be allowed. They should be ready to fire at us because they can’t continue to have rallies, meetings, primaries, and other things while students are wasting away at home.”
He said it amounts to wickedness for politicians, including key stakeholders in the education sector to be paying N100 million nomination and expression of interest forms, yet students are at home.
He asked:
“Who are they coming to govern? The students who are the victims of today or other students that will become victims tomorrow?”
Nigerian government engaging ASUU
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government had made several attempts to end the lingering ASUU strike.
The government had engaged ASUU in different meetings in order to resolve the crisis. In one of its meetings in March, the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, had disclosed that both parties agreed on so many things.
Ngige went further to state that ASUU would revert as soon as it concludes talks with its members on government’s current offer.
But after failing to consider government’s proposal on the matter, the government has now concluded that ASUU has the sole power to call off the strike.
How ASUU extended its industrial action amid students' outrage
ASUU had on Monday, March 14, extended its ongoing strike action by two months.
Prof. Abdulkadir Muhammad Danbazau, an ASUU official, who confirmed the report, said the union's latest decision was influenced by the need to allow it and the federal government to reach a solid agreement in order to avoid further strikes in the future.
Professor Danbazau added that the two months were enough for the government to do the needful.
Source: Legit.ng
Esther Odili (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Esther Odili is a journalist and a Politics/Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng with 6+ years of experience. She Holds OND and HND in Mass Communication from the Nigerian Institue of Journalism (NIJ), where she was recognized as the best student in print journalism in 2018. Before joining Legit.ng, Esther has worked with other reputable media houses, such as the New Telegraph newspaper and Galaxy Television. In 2024, Esther obtained a certificate in advanced digital reporting from the Google News Initiative. Email: esther.odili@corp.legit.ng.
Adoyi Ali Ali Adoyi is a prolific writer and a graduate of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Benue State. Adoyi holds a B.A Theatre and Communications Arts. He has bagged many awards both in academics and in journalism. Some of the awards are 10 years Journalism Merit Award, Best graduating student (Dept) Most Outstanding student (Faculty), and others. Adoyi can be reached here: adoyi.ali@corp.legit.ng
