The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says no political party must hold any presidential primary in Abuja until the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) ends.
NANS President, Sunday Asefon stated this in a Sunday statement, in which he called on the Federal Government to meet with the leadership of ASUU with a view to resolving their differences.
The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has picked the nation’s capital for its convention this May while the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly considering same.
However, NANS said that the nation’s leadership either ends the strike that has been on since February 14 or forget about any presidential primaries in Abuja.
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NANS equally expressed outright that while students are languishing at home, stakeholders saddled with the responsibility of ending the strike, especially Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba and Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, picked up the “outrageous” N100m presidential forms of APC.
The student body described the ministers’ action as constituting “total disrespect” for students who currently “languish” at home due to their “collective failures”.
“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 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.
“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,” the statement read in part.