THE Academic Staff Union of Universities has asked the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, to explain to Nigerians how he got the N100million he used to purchase the All Progressives Congress Presidential Expression of Interest and Nomination Form.
Nwajiubah is a contender for Nigeria’s presidency on the platform of the ruling APC.
APC fixed its price for the presidential nomination form at N100m to the consternation of many Nigerians, who argued that the amount was meant to exclude ordinary Nigerians from contesting for the post.
Arguing on the amount, ASUU said that in some countries, the junior minister would be making some statements to anti-graft agencies.
ASSUU has been on a nationwide strike in all government-owned universities in Nigeria since February this year over disagreement with the Federal government offer conditions of service for its members.
The Union is also fighting for improved funding of the university system in the country.
While the standoff has endured, both Nwajiubah and the and Minister of Labour Dr. Chris Ngige are currently concerned with their presidential ambitions.
Socrates Ebo, the Chairperson, ASUU at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, told journalists in Yenagoa on Tuesday said, “It is a shame that a serving junior minister of education will boldly declare that he is starving university lecturers all over the nation for daring to ask that the education system in the country be improved.”
“Truly, you can’t shame the shameless. Since when has demanding for the improvement of education in the country become an offence? This is a very sad low in the annals of our country. Indeed, charlatans have taken charge of our affairs.
Continuing, Ebo noted that:
“The minister of education should be educated that lecturers’ duties include: community service, teaching and research. As we speak, lecturers all over the country are engaged in research and community service.
“The strike is a last resort in the attempt to make a reason-deaf government to improve facilities in our public universities, pay lecturers a living wage and stop the frittering away of the nation’s dwindling resources through IPPIS. What part of this demand is crime?
“The minister who is putting up a show of pretending to attempt to lead the country should rather tell Nigerians how he came by a whooping sum of N100m to purchase his party’s nomination form when his legitimate salary is less than a million naira in a month.
“If this were a serious country, he should be making some explanations to ICPC and EFCC by now. Unfortunately, we are in a season of absurdities. Those who previously declared that no serious government would ever allow lecturers to go on strike are now not only forcing lecturers into strike but are also starving them on top of that. What an irony of history! It is well with Nigeria!”