Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government over the renewed threat by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embark on a nationwide strike, questioning the use of funds saved from the removal of fuel subsidy.
Atiku, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the looming industrial action contradicted the Federal Government’s justification for removing the petrol subsidy.
ASUU had on Friday threatened to commence a nationwide strike “within the shortest time possible” unless the government takes immediate steps to address issues affecting the welfare of university lecturers.
The union’s President, Chris Piwuna, said the decision followed an emergency meeting of ASUU’s National Executive Council at the University of Abuja. He accused the Federal and state governments of failing to fully implement the agreement reached with the union in December 2025.
The union also raised concerns over alleged non-remittance of deductions for pension contributions, staff cooperative societies and check-off dues for several months.
Reacting to the development, Atiku demanded an explanation from President Bola Tinubu on what had happened to the funds Nigerians were told would be freed by the removal of subsidy.
“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?” he asked.
The former vice president said Nigerians had endured higher petrol prices, transport fares, food costs, energy bills and school fees on the understanding that savings from subsidy removal would be channelled into critical sectors, including education, healthcare and infrastructure.
He questioned why public education remained in crisis despite repeated claims by government officials that subsidy savings had resulted in increased allocations to state governments.
Atiku also criticised the administration’s student loan scheme, arguing that the government had contributed to rising education costs before introducing loans to help students meet their financial obligations.
He described the situation as “government-manufactured poverty” and accused the administration of prioritising concessions, waivers and privileges for powerful interests over measures that would provide relief to ordinary Nigerians.
Atiku said the renewed ASUU crisis showed that subsidy removal had neither ended industrial disputes in the university system nor delivered the improvements in public services promised by the government.
He added that the government had failed to sufficiently expand universities, make education more affordable or resolve outstanding obligations threatening industrial harmony in the sector.
