ASUU, insecurity and 2023 requirements

IN spite of a two-day national protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the ongoing closure of public universities, the Nigerian government has not changed its lackadaisical attitude towards issues of National importance. It’s over 165 days since the closure of this public institutions and yet we are going back and forth like education is a piece of cake. That the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is still confident in clinching the Presidency come 2023 despite their obvious failures is perplexing. ‘Jonathan must go’ was the catch phrase of the 2015 general election. Nigerians were promised a better nation by these same persons sounding like good governance isn’t  an achievable process. Would we call theses present administration an exercise of irregularities ? or refer to this government as ‘unserious’. These are two kind expressions of our huge disappointment in an administration that gave Nigerians very tall expectations.

In Abuja, the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, led the protesters from the Unity Fountain to the National Assembly on Wednesday. The protesters moved with a strong message to salvage the current situation of Nigerian students schooling at public universities. Further than passing this strong message, the protests would not push this particular administration to organize for the better. It is evident enough in their approach towards sensitive issues like this. Moreover, protests are mainly for pressure mounting on whoever they are directed to. Under President Buhari, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has embarked on strike action four times. The union went on strike sometime in 2017, three months in 2019, about nine months in 2020 and the latest ongoing strike since 2022.

Let it be recalled that this strike problem was part of the ruling party’s propaganda to remove the Jonathan’s administration. I wish we could all look inwards and ask ourselves what we want from our beloved country. Chinua Achebe, said: “There was a country”. The upcoming 2023 elections is an important prompt for every Nigerian living at home and abroad. The sudden thought of voting in 2023 is frightening because, this time we need to get it right. Are Nigerians safe ?

Insecurity is a major threat to the existence of Nigeria. A lot of Nigerians have been captives/victims of bandits and all sorts of terrorist attacks. These government promised Nigerians that the only way safety can be accomplished, was if former President Jonathan lost his re-election in 2015. I’ve always wondered why many Nigerians forgot these so -called promises and can’t hold this administration accountable. Huge sums of money have been paid as ransom to release kidnap victims. The same government that assured us safety at all spheres.

Our solutions and the PVC requirement

Nigeria is a developing country. We adopted true democracy since 1999 and we are still talking about negotiating with government over issues of national emergency. These issues have kicked out administrations in developed countries. Democracy connotes freedom and inalienable rights of individuals. Wrongs occur from our left to our right and all we are encouraged to do is wait for the next elections. The United States of America didn’t wait for an election to call former President Donald Trump to order. In the democracy of developed countries ‘a voters card’ is an instrument to solve undemocratic issues- when all institutions of democracy are complacent. Beyond the political awakening this season, the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) should be seen as a requirement for the routine of elections in a democratic dispensation. Our voices as citizens of Nigeria is a greater weapon in field.

Nevertheless , every Nigerian is obligated to have a PVC so as to propose better leadership in 2023. All we need is a Patriotic leader. In a piece written by Editor Gidado Shuaib, he emphasized the need for unity in our endeavors. The APC in 2015, manipulated Nigerians into believing that they were the less corrupt group, thereby causing distrust amongst ourselves. I think we have seen past that now. Nobody can fool us anymore because the power in the people is greater than the government.

• Anayo writes in via chinedss918gmail.com