Senate Loyal To FG, Not Nigeria,- ASUU Berates Ahmad Lawan On Comments

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has berated the President of the Senate Ahmed Lawan for asking protesting students not to use their protest to disrupt political activities in the country.

Describing the statement as height of Insensitivity , the Chairman ASUU University of Ibadan Prof. Ayo Akinwole, said Lawan “represents the class of political vipers who are bent on destroying the future of the children of masses in order to access resources of Nigeria.”

Akinwole, who spoke in Ibadan on Thursday, stated that the Senate President has not even shown the capacity to solve problems by not knowing the importance of education over political activities before planning to run for president.

Akinwole revealed that the union had lobbied the National Assembly to prevent the strike but the legislative chambers were not forthcoming, a development he said forced the union to embark on strike.

The ASUU chairman said it was inconceivable for a high ranking political office holder to prioritise political activities over education, saying the consequences of their inactions has caused the country to toe the path of retrogression.

ASUU had started a strike on February 14 this year to obtain new conditions of service, funding for public universities, deployment of University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) among others.

Akinwole stated that those in political offices are non-challant because most of them have their children in schools abroad.

Akinwole said, “It is inconceivable for a Senate President to see political activities as more important than having students back to learn and develop the society.

“The Union, ASUU, informed, lobbied and appealed to the Senate to avert the strike but they were not forthcoming. We see a house loyal to the ruling political elites and not to Nigeria.

“To this set of politicians, anything can suffer but their access to common treasury. That is a sign of irresponsibility. Has their own welfare issues not been taken care of?

“I salute the resolve of the Nigerian students to fight for their own right. Education is a right and not a privilege. The youth, Nigerian students have an inalienable right be concerned and take actions they considered appropriate to secure their future. “