ASUP strike: Poly students demand Wike’s removal

Mr. Nyesom Wike

National Association of Nigerian Polytechnic Students has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

The aggrieved students made the call on Monday in Abuja while protesting at the Federal Ministry of Education over the lingering strike of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics.

The students body which accused Wike of not being capable of resolving the crises carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Wike Must Go” and “Government is Insensitive,” among others.

National President of NANPS, Comrade Sunday Ogbonnaya told journalists that the students were supporting their lecturers’ demands for better working conditions in the polytechnics.

This position contradicted his earlier view that the lecturers were fighting for selfish interest.
Ogbonnaya said,  “ASUP’s demands have the backing of the student body particularly with regard to ending the discrimination of HND holders and the call for better funding for the polytechnics.

“The last meeting between ASUP and the Minister was inconclusive. ASUP initially had 13 demands, then streamlined into four. Having entered into agreements with the union, it is unfair for the government to fail to yield to the agreement. But we also appealed to ASUP at the meeting with the Minister, if they are canvassing for what is theirs; they should not use students as negotiation tools in getting what they want.

“Few days after that meeting, ASUP met and said the strike continues and for various reasons, we believe in the struggle of ASUP. We are tired of staying at home. We are totally in support of the 13 demands of the union and we are ready to give them all necessary support to make sure that those demands are met.

“We believe in dialogue, this protest would have come long ago but we decided to wait. But we want them to go back to work while negotiations continue. Let it be known to the public that what they are fighting for is in the interest of the general public,” he added.
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