Strike: NNPP urges APC, PDP to donate proceeds of nomination forms to ASUU

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Friday urged the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to sacrifice funds made from the sale of nomination forms for the 2023 general elections to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The NNPP Chairman in Katsina State, Sani Liti, who made the call at a press briefing in the state, noted that such a gesture would go a long way in resolving the impasse between ASUU and the Federal Government.

The union embarked on a 30-day warning strike on February 14 over the federal government’s failure to honour agreements signed by both parties.

ASUU demands include the revitalisation of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances, and the deployment of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) for payment of university lecturers’ salaries, among others.

The union extended its strike for another 30 days on Monday, the fourth since the industrial action commenced about six months ago.

Ripples Nigeria reported in May the APC made N16.47 billion from the sales of nomination and expression of interest forms for people that vied for its presidential, governorship, and Senate tickets.

At least 28 politicians picked the party’s presidential form, 133 aspirants bought the governorship forms, and 351 paid for Senate forms.

The ruling party pegged the presidential nomination form at N100 million while the governorship and Senate forms were sold for N50 million and N20 million respectively.

The PDP on its part made N646 million from the sale of presidential expression of interest and nomination forms to 17 individuals that declared interest in its presidential ticket.

READ ALSO: ASUU’s demands outrageous, unnecessary – Keyamo

The NNPP pegged its expression of interest and nomination forms at N30 million with only the former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, purchasing the form.

Liti noted that the donation would cover a big part of the funds demanded by ASUU.

He said: “If the more than 10 million young Nigerians are allowed to continue to remain at home, we ask Nigerians to start an ASUU back-to-class contributory fund.

“We believe that Nigerians shall contribute money to ASUU and have them return to classes. Should 60 million Nigerians contribute N1,000 only, the total money should be about N60 billion.

“Political parties, especially PDP and APC, should also sacrifice all their income from the sale of forms, estimated to be over N30 billion to ASUU.

“In addition, the major candidates, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Bola Tinubu, should also sacrifice half of the amount they expended during the convention of their political parties.”

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