Atiku Abubakar Critiques Government on Education Funding

Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, issued a statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, addressing the ongoing challenges in public universities amid the government's removal of fuel subsidies. He questioned the government's justification for the subsidy removal, which was purportedly to channel savings into education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Atiku highlighted that university lecturers were still facing unpaid entitlements and unresolved agreements, despite claims of increased funding. He emphasized that Nigerians have suffered from rising costs in fuel, transportation, food, and education without seeing improvements in public services.

Atiku pointed out that the renewed threat of an ASUU strike underscores the disconnect between government claims and the reality in universities. He also criticized the government's student loan policy, arguing that the increased cost of living has made financing education more difficult for families.