Opinion
When Will ASUP Strike End?
The hope of Nigerian
polytechnic students going back to their schools to continue with thier studies has continued to be dashed by failure of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Federal Government to resolve issues that led to the on-going ASUP strike.
The polytechnic lecturers embarked on industrial action about seven months ago over non-implementation of agreements reached with the Federal Government and lack of infrastructure in the institutions.
To any discerning mind, the agitation put forward by ASUP are legitimate and reasonable. These demands are aimed at rescuing the polytechnic education from imminent collapse. There is no gainsaying that education is the engine room of national development. No country had attained enviable height economically and technologically without adequate attention and funds for the education sector.
The principal aim of polytechnics in Nigeria is to turnout the middle-level man power needed for industrial and technological development of the country, bearing in mind that no meaningful national development could be achieved without sound and qualitative technical education. An expert once posited that for any country to enjoy technical emancipation, they should engage in polytechnic education.
Sadly, while other countries are developing their technical sector, in Nigeria the sector has suffered total neglect over the years. Many polytechnics in Nigeria are nothing but glorified secondary schools. The infrastructural decay is very alarming.
It is a known fact that in most polytechnics, just like other public tertiary institutions in Nigeria, students hang on windows to study, take lecture notes and write examinations due to inadequate infrastructures. There are either none or poor hostel accommodations, books and laboratory equipment. In most polytechnics, libraries and laboratories are out dated, lecturers hardly receive research grants.
I find it difficult to understand why it is hard for government to fund technical education knowing the enormous benefit therein. The rate of youth unemployment soars everyday. Thousands of graduates parade the streets everyday with their degree certificates in search of unavailable white collar jobs. Crime rate continues into increase as many jobless youths are lured to crime. Are these not enough reasons to fund and promote technical education which will empower the youths to be self reliant and useful to themselves and the society.
It is worrisome that polytechnic education in Nigeria is being treated with disdain, culminating into why their graduates are regularly stigmatised in the labour market and seen as mere educated-illiterates. A situation where polytechnic graduates are looked down upon because of the discrepancies existing between B.Sc and HND certificates has contributed greatly to the undermining of this all important education sector of the country.
In most establishment, whether private or public, the discrimination exists at the point of entry and during promotion, with no recourse to individual’s talent and efficiencies.
As a matter of fact, some critics think polytechnic education should be scrapped. Many parents, guardians and even students seeking admission into higher institutions consider polytechnics only when they fail to gain admission into universities.
There is therefore need to redress these anomalies in the interest of the nation. Government should as a matter of urgency bridge the gap by adequately funding the polytechnic as being demanded by ASUP. All tiers of government should contribute in funding education in Nigeria and spare us the endless tales of woes in the sector. We should give equal attention to polytechnic and university education, knowing that both are very important and complement each other.
To further strengthen our polytechnics, there is need to look at the curriculum. Non-technical courses that are irrelevant to the core mandates of the institutions should be limited to the barest minimum to allow them maximize their capacity to train technicians, technologists and middle-level managers. The National Board for Technical Education should review the curricula of polytechnics to make them go in tandem with modern day reality.
Most importantly, government at all levels should be more sensitive to the plights of workers. The welfare of workers should be the top priority of any responsible government. So, instead of being consumed with the politics of 2015 elections, government should expedite action to end the ASUP strike, just as ASUP should be considerate and not insist that all their demands must be met before they go back to classrooms.
Calista Ezeaku
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Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
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