The National Association of Nigerian Students has stated that no political party would be allowed to hold its convention for the selection of its presidential candidate in Abuja unless the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities is called off.
The president of NANS, Sunday Asefon, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.
The People’s Democratic Party is billed to select its presidential candidate in Abuja on May 15 while the ruling All Progressives Congress slates its own till the end of the month.
NANS in a statement told the political class to end the strike being embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities since February 14 or forfeit the chance to hold their primaries.
The union expressed its displeasure that while university education is in shambles, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; and his Labour and Employment counterpart, Chris Ngige; picked up the N100million presidential forms of the ruling APC.
The statement titled, ‘End ASUU strike or forget political activities in Abuja,’ quoted the NANS president as saying, “We have also, in the past weeks, seen those saddled with great responsibilities 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 talk less of picking up the N100million 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.”
ASUU, on March 14, at the expiration of its four-week warning strike which commenced on Monday, February 14, extended the action by two months.
