Yoruba youth group, Oodua Youth Coalition, has condemned the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, for purchasing the ₦100m APC Presidential Form while the education sector is grounded with Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and research institutes on strike for the past few months.
In a statement released in Akure on Wednesday, the National President of OYC, Comrade Oluyi Tayo described the action of the junior Minister as condemnable and reckless.
“ASUU has been on strike since mid February and we have all watched on hoping they will recall students who have been at home since.
“It is now saddening that instead of us to receive news that ASUU strike is over, what we have heard is the junior education Minister purchasing a ₦100m form to contest for the Nigerian President.
” One wonders what is the priority of the Minister and what legacy he hopes to build on when he has failed Nigerian students overtime.”
“The incessant ASUU strikes has grounded the education sector and has further disrupted the hopes and dreams of Nigerian students. A course of four years is now running into 6 years for students.
” We have not stopped asking ourselves what Nwajiuba hopes to achieve by purchasing that form when he has failed the country woefully as a Minister but now deem it fit to run for the highest office obtainable in the land? Is he contesting to put Nigerians students permanently at home?” the statement added.
OYC said the lackadaisical attitude of Nwajiuba to the education sector shows that he is not fit to govern Nigeria.
The group urged Nwajiuba to refocus and concentrate his energy on firstly getting Nigerian students back on campus and the education system devoid of disruptive academic calendar before aspiring to lead Nigeria.