Nigerians have blasted Adamu Adamu, Nigeria’s Minister of Education for visiting President Muhammadu Buhari in London in order to resolve the crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) while ASUU is on strike.
Students of Nigerian varsities have been idle for over a month following the strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which Adamu has not been able to resolve.
On Wednesday, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, released a photograph of the Education Minister with President Buhari and the embattled chairman of the APC caretaker committee and Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, all smiling.
According to a reliable source, Adamu was in London with Buni to plead with Buhari for the Yobe governor to continue as chairman of the party.
Adesina’s statement on Wednesday, made it clear that Buhari is now in support of Buni as he has directed APC governors to work with him to organise the party’s convention in taking place in less than two weeks from now.
Many would recall that on Monday last week, allegedly on Buhari’s orders, Abubakar Sanni Bello, Niger State governor, stormed the APC national secretariat and pronounced himself as chairman of the party’s caretaker committee, a development that made INEC refuse to recognize his leadership of the party. As a result, the party backtracked.
Amid the crisis, Adamu, who is known to have the ears of the president as a result of his closeness with Mamman Daura, took Buni to him in London.
Recall Newswatchplus reported that ASUU on Monday, extended its ongoing warning strike by two months after talks with the federal government failed to resolve the problem.
While the Minister of Education may have succeeded in resolving the issues in the APC, many Nigerians were shocked by his decision to abandon the more pressing issue of ASUU strike, which is his primary responsibility, to pursue political matters.
Prof Chidi Odinkalu, a prominent rights activist, in his own intervention noted that it it didn’t make any sense for Adamu to be in London for politics while students were idling at home.
“Nigeria’s students are at home with their parents because the universities are shuttered,” Odinkalu wrote via his Twitter handle. “Meanwhile, in London, the minister of Education, Adamu Adamu goes to school in the @OfficialAPCNg House of failed coup.
Prof Farooq Kperogi, @farooqkperogi, US-based academic, also shared his thoughts on the development. He berated Adamu and Buhari for, according to him, destroying the country and jetting out to London to have a good time.
“They brought Nigeria to its knees & are congregating in the UK to celebrate. Buni has ignited turmoil in APC,” he said. “Buhari has put the economy, petrol supply, & electricity in the toilet. Adamu has ensured that ASUU is on strike. They caused 90% of Nig.’s problems they’ve run away from.”
Another user, JAGABAN, @abbakarrogo_, said “-President Muhammadu Buhari -Minister Of Education Prof. Adamu Adamu -Governor Of Yobe State Maimala Buni.
“All they’re going to tourism London, but ASUU And Students Are In Houses
No Education, No Study, No Lectures.”
On his part, Elder Seun @iamseunalaofin, noted that Adamu should not be a minister of education in today’s Nigeria.
“It’s March 2022 and we should not have someone Like Adamu Adamu as the Minister of Education,” he said.
“NANS executive deserve packs of fearless energy drink for facing the minister and telling him the truth he knows. Nigerians deserve good leadership!!”
