The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has advised the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to consider holding their forthcoming primaries virtually.
This is coming after the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Monday announced the extension of its strike by 12 weeks.
Recall that ASUU had commenced a four-week warning strike on February 14, which was later extended by eight weeks in March.
The union again announced another 12 weeks extension on Monday.
ASUU wants the government to release the revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiate and implement the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, pay earned allowances for university lecturers, and deploy the UTAS payment platform for their monthly salaries.
Reacting to the latest strike extension, NANS President, Sunday Asefon urged Nigerian students to get ready to march to Abuja in protest over the federal government’s failure to address ASUU’s demands.
Asefon had earlier threatened that the university students would obstruct the planned primaries of the APC and PDP if the strike was extended.
Speaking on Wazobia FM’s The Newsroom Program “We Tori Domot” in Kano, Asafon restated the threat issued to the main political parties.
He said the duo may opt for online primaries because all Nigerian students would be mobilised to relocate to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“They can go and do their primaries at Aso Rock or they should do it online but as far as we are concerned it will not hold in Abuja.
“They should be battle-ready because we will soon make a public announcement telling all students to arrange their luggage including bags, matrasses, and cooking utensils, and relocate to Abuja,” he said.
The leader of the Nigerian students berated what he called the Federal Government’s nonchalance to their plight.
He disclosed that consultations are ongoing on the modalities for the planned mass protest.
He also advised parents and guardians to enable their children to participate in the demonstration.
Allaying fears of a fruitless outcome as was the EndSARS protest, Asefon asserted that the nationwide struggle will be more coordinated.
“I can assure you that we are more coordinated than EndSARS. Don’t compare us with EndSARS, we are educated. Miscreants were part of EndSARS.
“This is a pure struggle for the emancipation of Nigerian students. We want to make sure that we remove ourselves from these shackles and manacles of oppressors.
“We cannot allow them to continue bastardising our education.
“They have been able to kill the primary and secondary school education in this country. We will not allow them to kill the tertiary institutions.
“Their friends are now the owners of private universities, what they want to do is to kill public education so that everybody can now be going to private schools, we will not allow that,” he disclosed.
The NANS President did not disclose further details on the specific date and duration of the planned demonstration.
He said he is currently strategising with his members nationwide, promising to unfold the details in due course.
