TheCable

Sunday Asefon, president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has criticised the federal government and politicians for focusing on the 2023 election amid the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

ASUU has been on strike since February 14 due to several unresolved issues — one of which is the union’s insistence on making use of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a preferred payment option, instead of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

Amid the strike action, Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, minister of state for education, have declared their interest to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, on Thursday, Asefon said amid these political activities, there’s a tendency for the government to forget about the students. 

He said the leaders are after their selfish interests, consequently forgetting the plight of university students.

“If you’re talking about education, you’re talking about lives. Our lives are no more discussed by our leaders,” he said.

“But rather, their focus is about the election. And this election is about their parochial, selfish interests. 

“This month of May is very significant. Thereafter, the next one they will be discussing is the general election. There is a tendency for these people not to discuss about us if we allow them.

“We should not be at the receiving end of everything and as such, they should stop using us to play politics

“If we fail now, this will continue and the generation coming will also meet the crisis that we inherited.”

The student association, on May 1, threatened that there will be no presidential primaries in Abuja until the ASUU strike is called off.