2023: ASUU, ASUP implore Nigerians to vote leaders who prioritize education

Nigerians have been warned by the leaderships of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics not to elect officials who don’t care about the country’s educational system.

This occurred against the backdrop of the ongoing strikes by lecturers brought on by the Nigerian government’s abject failure to pay the necessary attention to the education sector and uphold agreements with the unions.
The presidents of ASUU and ASUP, Emmanuel Osodeke and Anderson Ezeibe, discussed the education system’s need for responsible leadership with reporters on Monday.

The two said that the ongoing strikes in higher education institutions could only be put an end by capable leaders who believe in the potential of education for growth and development.

“Any day we have a government that is serious about education, we won’t have strike actions again. When you invest in education, there won’t be a strike. We were negotiating and we have gone far, suddenly, the government disbanded the committee because they believed that the court has ordered ASUU to resume.

“We should look for someone who believes in education and believes that for you to grow, you must have good education and quality healthcare. Among the 18 contestants, look for the one that has plans for education and believes in investing in education.”

Ezeibe, in his own estimation, said Nigeria open-minded and knowledgeable needed leaders who understand the myriad of challenges confronting the education sector.

“We need leaders who are humane and passionate about resolving the issues in the sector. Such a person should have adequate knowledge of the challenges with an open mind for inclusive engagements that will lead to sustainable solutions.

“ASUP expects the government to conclude the ongoing renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement which is long overdue.

“This should be achieved through the sincere conclusion of the collective bargaining process which commenced in 2017 and when concluded will resolve a lot of lingering issues in the sector. We expect the government to respect agreements, respect laws/statutes, respect the staff unions. We generally expect a reorientation in terms of the government’s disposition to education.”