Atiku accuses Tinubu govt of failing to invest subsidy savings in education

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has criticized President Bola Tinubu's administration for not allocating the funds generated from the removal of fuel subsidies to education. This accusation comes as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) threatens to launch another nationwide strike due to unpaid entitlements and unresolved agreements.

In a statement released by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku highlighted that Nigerians have suffered greatly since the fuel subsidy was abolished, facing increased costs for transport, food, energy, and school fees. Despite these hardships, public universities continue to be underfunded.

Atiku questioned President Tinubu on the whereabouts of the money collected from the subsidy removal, demanding an explanation as to why the government did not invest the savings in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social welfare, as previously promised. He pointed out that the ASUU's ongoing threat of strikes indicates that the administration has failed to address long-standing issues within the university system.

Atiku emphasized that while the government removed the subsidy cushion, Nigerians have not witnessed any improvements in their schools, hospitals, or daily lives. Furthermore, he criticized the lecturers' demands for unpaid salaries and the unresolved implementation of previous agreements, alongside the inadequate state of university infrastructure.

Atiku also raised doubts about claims that increased revenue allocations to state governments have led to better public education, stating that it is incongruent to boast about record allocations when students remain home due to strikes, classrooms, laboratories, hostels, and teaching facilities remain inadequate. Lastly, Atiku criticized the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), arguing that it was introduced when the cost of living was already high, and providing loans to students was not a viable solution to the country's education challenges.

In summary, Atiku asserts that Nigerians have endured the full impact of the fuel subsidy removal, yet the administration's promised improvements in education have not materialized.