Atiku slams FG over ASUU strike threat, demands account of subsidy savings

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government over the renewed threat by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embark on a nationwide strike, demanding an account of the funds saved from the removal of fuel subsidy.

Recall that ASUU had on Friday threatened to embark on a nationwide strike “within the shortest time possible” unless the government takes immediate steps to address issues affecting the welfare of university lecturers.

ASUU president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, said the decision followed an emergency meeting of the union’s national executive council at the University of Abuja.

Piwuna accused the federal and state governments of failing to fully implement the December 2025 agreement reached with the union.

Atiku said the development showed that the government had failed to deliver on its promise that savings from subsidy removal would be channelled into critical sectors, including education.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Phrank Shaibu, his senior special assistant on public communication, Atiku asked President Bola Tinubu to explain what had happened to the money Nigerians were told would be freed by the removal of subsidy.

“If the subsidy is gone and Nigerians have paid for that decision through unprecedented hardship, then President Tinubu owes the country a simple answer: where is the money?” he asked.

ASUU also raised concerns over deductions for pension contributions, staff cooperative societies and its check-off dues, which it said had allegedly not been remitted for several months.

Reacting, Atiku said the latest crisis contradicted the government’s justification for subsidy removal.

He said Nigerians had endured higher petrol prices, transport fares, food costs, energy bills and school fees based on the promise that savings from subsidy removal would be redirected towards education, healthcare, infrastructure and other essential services.

“The house of cards of falsehoods erected by the Tinubu administration to justify the suffering of Nigerians is collapsing before our eyes,” he said.

“A government that strips citizens of relief, denies them meaningful social protection and fails to deliver the basic improvements it promised has forfeited the moral credibility to continue preaching sacrifice.”

The former vice-president said the government’s claim that subsidy savings had translated into increased allocations to state governments also raised questions about the state of public education across the country.

“Government officials repeatedly tell Nigerians that subsidy savings have translated into larger allocations to states. But if substantially more money is supposedly flowing to the states, why has the condition of public education not improved accordingly?” he asked.

“You cannot boast about record allocations while students sit at home because lecturers are on strike.

“You cannot celebrate higher revenues when classrooms, laboratories, hostels and teaching facilities remain inadequate.”

Atiku also criticised the government’s student loan scheme, saying the administration had increased the cost of living and education before offering students loans to cope with the resulting burden.

“This government removed subsidy, increased the cost of transportation, food and virtually every other necessity, and watched the cost of university education rise beyond the reach of many families,” he said.

“After helping to make education more expensive, the same government created NELFUND and now celebrates giving young Nigerians loans to pay fees that many of their parents can no longer comfortably afford.”

He described the situation as “government-manufactured poverty”.

Atiku further accused the administration of being more willing to grant concessions, waivers and privileges to powerful interests than to provide relief for ordinary Nigerians.

The former vice-president said the renewed ASUU crisis demonstrated that subsidy removal had neither eliminated industrial disputes in the university system nor produced the promised improvements in public services.

“Tinubu removed subsidy from the people, but he has not removed the threat of ASUU strikes,” Atiku said.

“He has not resolved the crisis of unpaid obligations. He has not sufficiently expanded our universities. He has not made education more affordable. And he certainly has not removed the hardship confronting Nigerian families.”