APC, PDP can end ASUU strike with N30bn -Former PTDF boss

BY ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina

Amidst concerns that the ongoing strike of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) may linger on till 2023 as a result of Federal Government’s inability to meet the demands of the union, former Executive Secretary, Petroleum Tax Development Fund (PTDF), Dr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma, has advocated that the only leeway out of the quagmire was for the nation’s super rich political parties to support the union with N30 billion.

Darma, erstwhile governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) turned chieftain of the recently registered New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), stated this in an exclusive interview with Champion Newspapers in Katsina at the weekend.

The ex- PTDF chief, who emphasised the need to expand the frontiers of education development in Nigeria, tasked the ruling All progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition party (PDP) to provide ASUU with N30 out of about N32 billion both parties realized from the sales of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms ahead of their primaries for 2023 general elections.

He said it remained a worrisome situation where about three million university students sit at home for months while politicians and political parties were smiling to the banks, warning that it is the corporate social responsibility of the current main parties to bring succour to the lecturers and students.

“From my estimates, the two parties collected N32. 8 billion from only the sales of nomination and expression of interest forms. I am begging these political parties to discharge their corporate social responsibility – remove N30 billion out of that N32.8 billion and give it to ASUU – so that the lecturers will go back to schools and our young people – over three million of them will now go back to schools.

“What they (the parties) don’t understand is some of these young people (students) may be among those that attacked Abuja – Kaduna train. Similarly, some of them are most likely among the people carrying out the killings in the south east  because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

“Also, some of them may be into prostitution, cult activities and forms of evil doings and the repercussions would come to everyone; it will definitely come,” said Darma.

Assessing the NNPP, he noted: “We are providing a new platform, a new deal and people will definitely understand us with time.”

He expressed confidence that 2023 polls would favour the Sen. Kwankwaso led party, saying, “the voting population we (Nigerians) have is young population and NNPP represents them. The young people will vote NNPP in tomorrow.”

The Katsina – born scholar vowed never to return to PDP said that as at the moment the party had nothing to offer the people of Katsina State, adding: “I believe self – centredness has killed the party. So, that is why I left the party.”