2023: NANS Threatens To Disrupt APC, PDP’s Primaries Over ASUU Strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to disrupt the planned primaries by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the ongoing strike embarked by the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU).

NANS Issues Threats Over ASUU Strike

KanyiDaily recalls that ASUU had embarked on a warning strike since February 14, over the failure of the federal government to meet its demands.

Amid the strike, the government and the union have held a series of meetings, but no agreement has been reached by both sides on ending the strike.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NANS president, Sunday Asefon condemned the rush for party tickets by politicians while the universities have been shut for almost three months.

He said it is unfortunate that while the Nigerian university students have been “condemned home for almost three months, those saddled with the responsibility of ensuring their academic wellbeing and sound education have the effrontery to obtain N100 million nomination forms.”

Asefon described the Nigerian politicians as “callous, wicked, selfish and irresponsible”, adding that it is a “total disrespect” for students who currently “languish” at home due to their “collective failures”.

The NANS president told the political parties to either end the strike embarked upon by the ASSU since February 14, 2022, or forget about holding any presidential primary in the nation’s capital.

The statement reads, “We have also in the past weeks seen those saddled with great responsibility in the education sector and those saddled with responsibilities of resolving labour crises declaring interest to contest for the seat of the President come 2023.

“We are surprised by their effrontery and total disrespect to the Nigerian people for having the courage to even mute the idea of contesting talkless of picking up the 100million naira presidential form while students languish at home because of their collective failures.

“Politicians have shown no concern to the plight of the students but are only busy in their selfish and inordinate ambitions to become the next President.

“Let me say without mincing words, the two major political parties should forget any political gathering in Abuja who elsewhere except there is a solution to the lingering ASUU strike.

“We will frustrate all the activities leading to the selection of party candidates if we remain on strike. We also want to advise the government and the politicians who are busy campaigning to be President to either resolve the ASUU crises or give direct orders to the security operative to shoot us at the site during party conventions to select a presidential candidate. If we remain on strike, they should just forget it.”

KanyiDaily recalls that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige had revealed that the Federal Government may drag ASUU to industrial court over the ongoing strike.