Tinubu’s Re-Election Key to University Stability for Nigerian Students

Tinubu’s Re-Election Key to University Stability for Nigerian Students – Omokri
Says ASUU has embarked on nearly 50 industrial actions since 1999
Omokri also highlighted the Student Loan Act, signed into law by President Tinubu in June 2023

Reno Omokri, President Bola Tinubu’s newly appointed ambassador, has argued that Nigerian undergraduates stand to gain the most from the President’s re-election, highlighting what he described as an unprecedented period of industrial peace in the nation’s universities.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that in a statement on Saturday, Omokri noted that since Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023, there has been no strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), a sharp contrast to decades of frequent academic disruptions.

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“ASUU’s last nationwide strike began on October 14, 2022, before President Tinubu took office. Since then, Nigerian universities have experienced uninterrupted academic sessions, allowing students to complete their programmes on schedule,” Omokri said.

He recalled that ASUU, founded in 1978, has embarked on nearly 50 industrial actions, with at least 16 strikes recorded since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. Omokri described the current strike-free academic calendar as historic.

Omokri also highlighted the Student Loan Act, signed into law by President Tinubu in June 2023, as a key intervention to address financial barriers to higher education. He said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has provided loans to hundreds of thousands of students nationwide.

Tinubu’s Re-Election Key to University Stability for Nigerian Students - Omokri

In addition, he credited the Tinubu administration with approving new private universities and establishing additional federal universities, emphasizing the government’s commitment to expanding access to quality education.

Contrasting Tinubu’s achievements with previous administrations, Omokri urged undergraduates eligible to vote to consider the impact of prolonged strikes on their academic and professional futures, stressing that continuity in leadership would safeguard stability in the university system.