By Kingston Magare 13.9.2026
African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar said President Bola Tinubu lied about funding education with funds gained from fuel subsidy removal, following threats of strike action by Academic Staff Union of Universities.
According to the former Nigerian Vice President the Bola Tinubu administration has perpetrated one of the most “cynical economic deceptions” in Nigeria’s recent history by removing fuel subsidy, imposing crushing hardship on millions of families, promising that the savings would transform education and other essential services, and now failing to meet basic obligations to university lecturers or prevent another round of industrial action.
Mr Atiku said public universities remain underfunded, lecturers are complaining about unpaid entitlements and unresolved agreements, and students once again face the threat of disruption to the academic calendar.
“If the subsidy is gone and Nigerians have paid for that decision through unprecedented hardship, then President Tinubu owes the country a simple answer: where is the money?
“The house of cards of falsehoods erected by the Tinubu administration to justify the suffering of Nigerians is collapsing before our eyes.
“A government that strips citizens of relief, denies them meaningful social protection and fails to deliver the basic improvements it promised has forfeited the moral credibility to continue preaching sacrifice.
“The Tinubu administration has imposed an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis on Nigerians. Families are struggling with soaring food prices, punishing transport costs, expensive energy and shrinking incomes. Yet instead of cushioning the consequences of its own economic decisions, the government has largely abandoned Nigerians to carry the burden alone.
“That is what makes the present university crisis indefensible. 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.
“More than three years later, lecturers are still raising concerns about unpaid salaries and unresolved agreements. ASUU is again warning of industrial action. University infrastructure remains inadequate, while millions of young Nigerians compete every year for limited admission spaces.
“So where is the money?” Atiku said in a statement made available his senior special assistant on public communication Phrank Shaibu,
ASUU said in a statement signed by its national president, Prof. Chris Piwuna, on Friday, that it could activate the suspended industrial action without any further notice if its demands were not urgently addressed.
University lecturers getting ready for another strike.