ASUU strike: Presidential primaries can’t hold in Abuja – NANS

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says there will be no presidential primaries in Abuja unless the Federal Government and the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities resolve their disagreements.

NANS President Sunday Asefon said this in a statement yesterday.

ASUU embarked on strike on February 14 insisting on the use of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a preferred payment option against the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

The NANS president described the declarations by the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige and the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, for the 2023 presidential election as “total disrespect for students who currently languish at home due to their collective failures”.

He stated: “We’ve 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,” the statement reads.

“We’re surprised by their effrontery and total disrespect to the Nigerian people for having the courage to even moot the idea of contesting talkless of picking up the N100m presidential form while students languish at home because of their collective failures.

“Politicians have shown no concern for 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.”

He said NANS would frustrate all the activities leading to the selection of party candidates if ASUU remains on strike.

He asked the government to either resolve the strike or get ready to “give direct orders to the security operatives to shoot us at the site during party conventions to select a presidential candidate”.