Students Protest Over Long ASUU Strike, Threaten To Disrupt Polls

Students Protest Over Long ASUU Strike, Threaten To Disrupt Polls

Tertiary institution students have threatened to disrupt the general elections if the  Federal Government  fails to  settle issues with the Academic Staff Union of Universities  and end the ongoing ASUU strike  before the polls.

Speaking under the aegis of the National Association of Nigeria Students, the group said they would also mobilise  their members to boycott the polls.

They stated this on Wednesday during a protest march through the Niger Bridge Head in Onitsha, Anambra State.

While calling  ASUU and the  Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics to resolve their problems  with the Federal Government,  the students said they would disrupt  the elections if nothing was done about the strike.

ASUU on November 5, 2018  embarked on an indefinite strike following the Federal Government’s  failure to honour the Memorandum of Understanding  it signed with the union in 2017.

The protesters  comprising NANS  South-East and South-South chapters barricaded the expressway to express  their displeasure at  the lingering strike.

They carried  placards of various inscriptions such as   “ASUU/ASUP strike, another way to increase crime”, “ No resumption, no elections”, “We are tired of endless negotiations”,  “End strike now” and “Save education, end strike now”.

 Addressing the press thereafter,  NANS Zone B coordinator,  Okereke Godson,  said  the students would not stay at home while the country holds elections.

He said,” We will chase away voters on election day  if the Federal Government fails to agree terms  with ASUU and end the strike.

“Nigeria students are tired of staying at home doing nothing while the elections hold. We are calling on the Federal Government to negotiate with ASUU to end the strike or forget about the 2019 elections.”