The presidential campaign spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Festus Keyamo, has come under heavy fire for his comments on the 7-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Quest Times reports that Keyamo appeared on Channels TV’s Politics Today show on Friday, August 5, 2022, where he said that the federal government can’t borrow funds to settle the ASUU crisis, as there are other sectors of the economy that also need government’s intervention.
According to Keyamo, who also serves as Minister of Labour and Productivity (State), the FG will not give in to ASUU’s blackmail, “they are not the only one in Nigeria”.
He further called on parents to speak to ASUU’s patriotism, so lectures can resume.
In reaction to Keyamo’s comments, Nigerians took to Twitter to express their disappointment, questioning why the Buhari administration had no qualms giving the Niger Republic scarce resources to buy luxury SUVs but can’t borrow to reopen Universities.
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Others attacked Keyamo for his seeming arrogance and insensitivity towards the lecturers and the students.
Here are some reactions gathered by The Quest Times:
@OgbeniDipo No end in sight for ASUU strike. Listened to Festus Keyamo this evening and all I can do today is feel sorry for everyone involved.
@firstladyship Festus Keyamo is shameless & heartless. He said the FG cannot borrow to fund ASUU, & they cannot concede to ASUU’s UTAS platform demand. But Buhari can give $1m to Afghanistan, $1.9bn Rail to Marardi Niger Republic, & N1.4bn exotic cars to Niger Republic? WHO IS FESTUS KEYAMO?
@ayemojubar Seun still was on ASUU matter, but Keyamo told him that they should move on to a more important issue. Omo! We don suffer.
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@renoomokri What Festus Keyamo said about ASUU on Channels is unfortunate. How can a government abandon their duties to resolve the ASUU crisis and ask parents to go and beg ASUU? ASUU has been begging this government. Yet, when Niger begged them, Buhari gave them ₦1.1 billion!
@YBGauje Two take away from Festus Keyamo’s interview at Channels TV. 1. The ASUU Strike is not an important discussion. 2.Tinubu will rule Nigeria the way Buhari did. Voters over to you.
@RBiakpara The reason why Keyamo was arrogant & bold to say “parents should go & beg ASUU”, that they have done all they can do, is because his co-politicians don’t have children in those Nigerian schools. If they did, they would be the ones doing the begging.
@HenryUgwuEsq The Festus Keyamo running away from discussing Education in Nigeria, ASUU Strike, and the failure of his Ministry is the same one who will sell Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Nigerians? Utterly hilarious!