ABUJA — The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vowed to disrupt the planned presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.
In a statement titled, “End ASUU Strike or Forget Political Activities in Abuja”, signed by its President, Sunday Asefon, the association condemned the rush for party tickets by politicians while the universities have been shut for almost three months.
The students’ body warned the two political parties to either ensure that the industrial action was called off or forget about holding their presidential primaries in Abuja.
The statement read in part, “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 or elsewhere except there is a solution to the lingering ASUU strike. We will frustrate all the activities leading to 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 operatives to shoot us at the site during party conventions to select a presidential candidate. If we remain on strike, they should just forget it.”
Expressing displeasure over the abandonment of negotiations with ASUU by the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige, and the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, for presidential ambition, NANS said politicians have clearly shown by their conduct that they are not bothered by the plight of Nigerian students.
“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 Nigeria people for having the courage to even moot the idea of contesting talkless of picking up the N100 million naira presidential form while students languish at home because of their collective failures,” NANS added.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) commenced its strike on February 14 and has continued to roll it over to date.
The non-academic staff under the umbrella of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities and other Allied Educational Institutions (NASU) also later announced its strike, which has entered its sixth week.
