— Forget Idea Of Holding Convention Before ASUU Ends Strike, Except You Are Ready To Order Your Armed Men To Shoot Us At Sight, The Students Tell Political Parties

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has declared that it will not allow any political party to hold a convention to select its presidential candidate in Abuja or anywhere in Nigeria until the Academic Staff Union of Universities’ strike is called off.

NANS President, Sunday Asefon, made this known in a statement released on Sunday.

Coming at the time when the two leading political parties, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) have picked this month of May to hold their conventions, observers say the scene is set for Titanic clash between the embittered Nigerian students who have been at home and the country’s political leaders.

NANS, in its statement, asked the political parties to either end the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities since February 14, 2022, or forget the idea of holding presidential primary anywhere in Nigeria.

In the statement titled, ‘End ASUU Strike Or Forget Political Activities In Abuja’, the NANS president said, “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 Nigerian people for having the courage to even mute the idea of contesting talkless of picking up the 100million naira presidential form while students languish at home because of their collective failures.

“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 the 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 operative to shoot us at the site during party conventions to select a presidential candidate. If we remain on strike, they should just forget it.”

Recall that ASUU, currently led by Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, earlier embarked on a nine-month strike in 2020 before it was called off in December of that year.
The current strike has kept students at home and if unresolved immediately may disrupt academic calendar.