A Yoruba group, Oodua Youth Coalition, OYC, has slammed Senate President Ahmad Lawan over his recent comment on the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, had on Tuesday met with the Senate President who urged them not to go ahead with plans to disrupt political activities in anger over the strike that had kept students at home for weeks.
Speaking at a press conference, OYC National President, Tayo Akintade, slammed Lawan while accusing the Federal Government of insincerity and turning a blind eye to the plight of Nigerians.
He said: “I think it is a faulty statement from the president of the Senate. I’m very sure he was a member of the National Assembly when the agreement was signed.
“And if you break down the 2009 pact, a lot of things were captured in that agreement. It is not even about the payment of salaries of lecturers. You can’t even compare Nigerian universities with some varsities in some African countries.
“What ASUU and Nigerians want is for government to bring universities to the height they ought to be.
“The Federal Government has shown lackadaisical attitude towards the Nigeria future and we as youths have come out to say emphatically that if the federal government failed to accede to these requests within the next seven days we are not going to leave any stone unturned by moving out en masse and joining forces with other bodies to ensure that we block all federal roads.
“For years, we give them an opportunity for reconciliation and dialogue but we have seen that for years these people do not listen.
“I think they understand that when things are turned upside down, they respond and this is the approach we are taking.”
