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ASUU Demands Withdrawal of Education Minister’s Certificate over Strike
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has written to the University of Jos, demanding a probe and the recall of the doctorate degree of the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
Also on Wednesday, students from different tertiary institutions in the Edo State protested the lingering ASUU strike in Benin, the state capital.
ASUU, which commenced a warning strike on February 14, 2022 has yet to call off the industrial action.
Some of the demands of the union include the demand for university autonomy, release of revitalisation funds for Nigerian universities, and the deployment of the University Transparency Accountability and Solution payment platform for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers among others.
The government and the union have yet to reach an agreement on the issues raised.
As the disagreements linger, Nwajiuba confirmed to The PUNCH that the union had written to UNIJOS asking for the recall of his certificate.
The minister said, “ASUU wrote UNIJOS to recall my certificate. I am not sure what it is they are pursuing. I was informed by the university that this was the directive from ASUU: to investigate my certificate. That is how far they have gone.
“When I got the letter from the university, in fact, the university didn’t hide it, they noted that ASUU wrote them.”
The strike has, however, been taking its toll on the students, some of whom have been complaining of its adverse effects on them.
Vehicular and human movements were disrupted in parts of Benin for several hours on Wednesday as students from across tertiary institutions in the state protested the continued strike.
They asked for government’s intervention as they vowed to continue a daily stay in the city centre until their demands are met.
The students mobilised from the University of Benin, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma and the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi.
They displayed placards with various inscriptions and blocked the Oba Ovonramwen Square popularly called Ring Road to express their grievances.
Their action resulted in traffic gridlock around the axis, including Akpakpava, Mission and Forestry roads.
Speaking on the issue, National Vice President, Special Duties of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Idiahi Thomas, faulted Nigeria’s educational sector, saying, “our leaders have bastardised it, and, as it is, Nigerian students are at home and yet, government officials are busy purchasing forms for N100 million, an amount presidents of other countries cannot earn constitutionally throughout their four-year tenure.
“If the Federal Government does not want us to remain here, they know what to do. You are taking a course of four years or five years, but the strike makes you spend six to seven years. Post graduate students who are supposed to spend 18 months are spending two to three years and some get frustrated and abandon their programme.”
A student Union leader from AAU, Abumere Joseph, said, “We are tired of staying at home. For the past three months, we have not attended classes, I was supposed to graduate in April but as it is now, I don’t know when I will graduate, I have been in one level for close to two years, so we are tired.”
On his part, the President, Students Union Government of UNIBEN, Foster Amadin, said the strike is “suffocating the dreams of Nigerian students while politicians go about their political ambitions and the striking lecturers are going about their individual businesses.”
A civil right leader, Kola Edokpayi, said the government does not respect the wishes of the people of Nigeria lamenting that “Our students are at home, yet the Minister of State for Education was able to buy a presidential nomination form of N100m.”
The Punch
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its failure to pay outstanding wage awards owed to federal civil servants, describing the government as callous and economically mismanaged.
Atiku lamented that despite promises to cushion the impact of the fuel subsidy removal with a N35,000 monthly wage award, the government has only paid six months’ worth, leaving workers with four months of unpaid arrears amounting to N140,000 per worker.
“The decision to remove petrol subsidy without proper plans has buried the average Nigerian under the weight of inflation, hunger, and despair,” Atiku said.
He condemned the Tinubu administration for taking an excessive 10 months to finalise the new minimum wage figure, calling the delay a broken covenant that has exacerbated the economic hardship Nigerians face.
“That promise, like many others under this government, has become a broken covenant,” Atiku stated.
Atiku also criticised the government’s approach to labour issues, saying: “While several state governments have shown commendable responsibility in managing labour affairs, the Tinubu-led Federal government has distinguished itself by its utter disdain for workers’ welfare.”
He demanded the immediate and unconditional release of labour activist Andrew Uche Emelieze, who was arrested and detained for attempting to organise a peaceful protest over unpaid wage awards.
“Nigerian workers will not be silenced, intimidated, or forgotten. The economic hardship is real, the hunger is biting, and the government has a duty to act—not to repress,” Atiku said.
He warned that the government’s approach reflects a growing authoritarian trend and urged the administration to engage in dialogue and fulfil its promises instead of resorting to tyranny and suppression of free speech.
Atiku’s criticism underscores growing dissatisfaction with the current administration’s handling of economic and social issues, reinforcing his call for a new path toward good governance and relief for Nigerians amid prevailing hardship.
Chelsea, on Sunday, thrashed Paris Saint-Germain 3–0 in the Club World Cup final.
The Blues were considered underdogs ahead of the game, in which they came up against the Ligue 1 and Champions League winners.
However, it was the Premier League club that flew out of the blocks in the first half, scoring the three goals that effectively decided the match.
Cole Palmer curled in a pair of identical goals from the right side of the box, putting Chelsea firmly in control at the MetLife Stadium.
Palmer then provided a slide-rule pass for João Pedro to make it 3–0, his third goal of the tournament since joining Chelsea.
There were no goals in the second half, as Enzo Maresca’s men held on to win the Club World Cup, in addition to the UEFA Conference League they clinched last month.
For PSG, they will not be winning an unprecedented sextuple, but they will have a chance to claim the UEFA Super Cup next month against Tottenham.
President Bola Tinubu has received with profound sorrow and a heavy heart, news of the passing of his predecessor in office, Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari died on Sunday in a London hospital after an undisclosed illness.
In a tribute message he personally signed, President Tinubu said Buhari was to the very core, a patriot, a soldier, a statesman.
“He served Nigeria with unwavering dedication, first as a military leader from January 1984 to August 1985, and later as a democratically elected President from 2015 to 2023. Duty, honour, and a deep commitment to the unity and progress of our nation defined his life.
“He stood firm through the most turbulent times, leading with quiet strength, profound integrity, and an unshakable belief in Nigeria’s potential. He championed discipline in public service, confronted corruption head-on, and placed the country above personal interest at every turn.
“In this moment of national mourning, I extend my deepest condolences to his beloved wife, Aisha, with whom I have been in constant touch, his children, the entire Buhari family, and all who knew and loved him.
“I also extend my condolences to the government and people of Katsina State, most especially the people and traditional leaders of Daura Emirate.
“We honour his service. We reflect on his legacy. And we pray for the peaceful repose of his soul,” Tinubu’s statement read in part.
As a mark of respect to the former Nigerian leader, Tinubu directed that all national flags fly at half-staff across the country for seven days from today.
He said that he has also summoned an emergency Federal Executive Council (FEC) session on Tuesday, dedicated to Buhari’s honour.
Tinubu added that the Federal government will accord President Buhari full state honours befitting his towering contributions to our country.
“May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.
“And may his life continue to inspire generations of Nigerians to serve with courage, conviction, and selflessness,” the statement added.
