ASUU Strike: It’s Sad We’re Talking About Elections When Schools Are Closed – Peter Obi

Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi has expressed concern over the prolonged strike embarked upon by the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU).

Peter Obi Condemns 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.

Speaking on Wednesday when he appeared on the Berekete family radio in Abuja, Obi said it’s sad that Nigerian universities are on strike while politicians are campaigning for the 2023 elections.

Obi, who is a presidential hopeful on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said such a situation in which students are not attending classes and election campaigns are ongoing can only happen in Nigeria.

He said, “It is very very sad. It is intolerable that schools are closed and we are campaigning and we are even talking about elections. It would never happen in any other country except Nigeria,” he said.

“Education is the most important investment a nation can do for its citizens, which we are playing with here.

“The scourge of this problem is because we have an uncaring government. The agreement was made in 2009 that they will give universities N1 trillion to renovate universities, and that they will pay lecturers’ allowances.

“If they were to be paying N100 million yearly, the payment would have been paid in full. Even N50 million yearly would have done it to some extent.”

He said the ASUU strike shows the inability of the government to keep to agreements, noting that the money paid for presidential nomination forms can be used to end the industrial action.

“The problem is the government made empty promises. So, this made everyone fight. Money collected from presidential aspirants can feed ASUU’s demands,” he added.

Obi added if he is elected to rule the country in 2023, he will make primary and secondary education free, but not for tertiary level.

He said, “I won’t make tertiary education free. Primary and secondary will be free, but we must find a way to fund tertiary education.”

KanyiDaily recalls that Peter Obi had asked Nigerians to make informed decisions about electing a president who will have the capacity to resolve the country’s problems in 2023.