ASUU faults APC change mantra, says it’s cosmetic

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has joined the long list of organisations and Nigerians doubting the authenticity of the change mantra of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

According to ASUU, the change mantra of the APC is mere cosmetics, adding that the union was ready to educate Nigerians on the true meaning of change.

This was stated by the National President of the union, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, when he spoke as the guest of honour at a public lecture and distinguished service award organised by the University of Ibadan chapter of ASUU on Wednesday.

According to Ogunyemi, the current leaders in the country lacked the necessary qualities to move the nation forward.

The ASUU boss said: “ASUU is not pleased with what is happening today for at least three reasons. In the first place, as a union of intellectuals, we cannot stay aloof, we cannot watch helplessly while the ruling class continues in its act of displacement of the country.

“What has happened in this country in the last 10 years or so should be enough to transform this country if not to another Japan, but at least maybe to another Malaysia or Singapore. What we are having now is the Structural Adjustment Programme in another form.

“We must sow the seed of that change; the correct change. The change they are talking about is cosmetic. We are talking about revolutionary change. Are we prepared for that? We need to gird our loins. ASUU as a union is committed to doing that. It’s like the Nigerian ruling class does not have a template for governance or development. As long as that continues, we’ll be regressing and not progressing.

“Somebody came up and said I will not devalue the naira, what is happening to the naira today? Free fall! Somebody said I will reduce the price of petroleum, what is happening now? The price is almost doubled. And it is not impossible that in another few months, we will just wake up and see that the pump price of petroleum will be swayed.

“Is this the kind of change you asked for? A change without transformation, is this the change you asked for? Nigerians asked for change, Nigerians did not ask for enslavement. That is why we must be interested in what is happening in Nigeria. For those that are calling themselves progressives, we are yet to see the progress the progressives are building.”

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

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