Atiku challenges Tinubu over ASUU strike threat and calls for account of subsidy savings

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to account for the funds saved by the removal of petrol subsidy, following a renewed threat by the Academic Staff Union of Universities to embark on a nationwide strike.

Atiku argued that the impending industrial action by university lecturers contradicted the federal government’s justification for removing the subsidy, which was partly based on redirecting savings to critical sectors, including education.

The former Vice President made this request in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on Sunday.

ASUU, on Friday, threatened to begin a nationwide strike “at the earliest possible time” unless the federal government urgently addresses issues affecting the welfare of university teachers.

The national president of the union, Chris Piwuna, said the decision followed an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council at the University of Abuja.

Piwuna accused the federal government and state governments of failing to fully implement the agreement reached with the union in December 2025.

The union also expressed concern about alleged delays in the payment of pension contributions, cooperative withholdings and control fees.

Reacting to the development, Atiku asked Tinubu to explain what had happened to the funds that Nigerians had been told would become available after the subsidy was removed.

“If the subsidy is over 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.

According to him, Nigerians accepted the consequences of eliminating subsidies based on the guarantee that the savings would be invested in education, healthcare, infrastructure and other essential services.

Atiku said the renewed crisis at ASUU suggests that the promised benefits have yet to translate into significant improvements in the nation’s public university system.

“The house of cards of falsehoods erected by the Tinubu administration to justify the suffering of Nigerians is collapsing before our eyes,” he said.

He added: “A government that deprives citizens of aid, denies them meaningful social protection and fails to deliver promised fundamental improvements has lost the moral credibility needed to continue preaching sacrifice.”

The former People’s Democratic Party presidential candidate also questioned claims that savings on subsidies would lead to increased allocations to state governments.

“Government officials repeatedly tell Nigerians that subsidy savings have translated into increased allocations to states. But if substantially more money is supposed to flow to states, why haven’t public education conditions improved as a result?” Atiku asked.

He said the increase in public revenue should be reflected in better learning environments, improved infrastructure and uninterrupted academic activities.

“You can’t boast about record assignments while students stay at home because teachers are on strike,” he said.

“You cannot celebrate an increase in revenue when classrooms, laboratories, hostels and teaching facilities remain inadequate.”

Atiku also criticized the administration’s approach to funding students through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, arguing that the government had increased the cost of living and education before introducing loans to help students meet the financial burden.

“This government has removed subsidies, increased the cost of transportation, food and virtually every other necessity, and has seen the cost of a college education rise beyond the reach of many families,” he said.

He described the situation as “government-produced poverty.”

The former vice president further accused the administration of being more likely to provide concessions, waivers and privileges to powerful interests rather than offering relief to ordinary Nigerians.

Atiku argued that the renewed ASUU dispute highlighted what he described as the failure of subsidy removal to resolve long-standing industrial disputes or produce promised improvements in public services.

“Tinubu has removed subsidies to the people, but has not eliminated the threat of ASUU strikes,” he said.

“It has not solved the crisis of unpaid obligations. It has not expanded our universities sufficiently. It has not made education more accessible. And it certainly has not eliminated the hardships facing Nigerian families.”

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