Ibekimi Oriamaja Reports
Advice has been given to President Muhammadu Buhari on how to end the protracted strike that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, or ASUU, has declared.
Eight of Buhari’s presidential jets should be sold, and the money raised should be used to satisfy ASUU’s demands.
Reno Omokri, a former advisor to former President Goodluck Jonathan, made this remark in a string of tweets.
Omokri emphasized that whereas ASUU wanted less than $100 million, the Nigerian presidential fleet was valued at over $200 million.
He criticized the presidential fleet for having just roughly 10 jets to support one president.
Omokri claims: “How much is ASUU requesting? University funding will be less than $100 million. Buhari owns ten executive planes, each valued more than $200 million.
“Why not market eight and donate the proceeds to ASUU? The British prime minister doesn’t own a government jet. Atiku would take action of this nature!
“To serve 210 million passengers, Nigeria lacks a national airline. To service one president, however, we have ten presidential jets. No, be that juju?
“For this reason, ASUU is adamant. Money is not the issue. The way we spend the little we have is the problem! That will change with Atiku!
Due to the government’s failure to uphold a 2019 deal, ASUU have been on strike since February 2022.
The government’s insistence on using IPPIS against UTAS to pay lecturers is a contributing factor in the conflict.
After negotiations with the administration broke down, ASUU announced an extended strike.
