The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of failing to invest proceeds from the removal of fuel subsidy in education.
Atiku made the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, amid threats by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embark on another nationwide strike over unpaid entitlements and unresolved agreements.
The former Vice President said Nigerians had endured significant hardship since the removal of the fuel subsidy, citing increased transport fares, food prices, energy costs and school fees.
He questioned what had happened to the money generated from the policy, arguing that public universities remained underfunded despite the hardship experienced by Nigerians.
“Since the fuel subsidy has been removed and Nigerians have endured unprecedented hardship as a result, President Tinubu should explain what has happened to the money realised from the policy,” Atiku said.
He recalled that the government had promised to channel savings from subsidy removal into education, healthcare, infrastructure and social welfare, but claimed that the promises had not been fulfilled.
“The government promised to invest subsidy savings in education, healthcare, infrastructure and social welfare, but those promises have not been fulfilled,” he said.
According to Atiku, the renewed threat of industrial action by ASUU demonstrated the failure of the administration to resolve longstanding challenges affecting Nigeria’s university system.
“Government removed the cushion, collected the supposed savings and imposed the hardship, but Nigerians cannot see the corresponding improvement in their schools, hospitals or everyday lives,” he said.
Atiku added that university lecturers were still demanding unpaid salaries and the implementation of previous agreements, while infrastructure across the institutions remained inadequate.
He called on the Federal Government to account for the savings from subsidy removal and address the challenges confronting the nation’s public universities.
