The Students Union Government, SUG of the institution, which is spearheading the move, said that it would only review its stand if President Jonathan delivered on his promise to reduce their school fees which the school authorities had hiked.
In a statement made available to Nigerian Pilot yesterday in Osogbo, President of the SUG, Ibikunle Isaac and the Secretary, Bamidele Oludare, said: “We in OAU may have no other option but to mobilise our rank and file against the Jonathan/Sambo second term bid if our demands are not met immediately.”
A month ago, President Jonathan was at the OAU campus for a summit organised by the traditional and political leaders in the South-West zone where they endorsed him for a second term in office.
Hundreds of students of the institution however thronged the Oduduwa Hall, venue of the summit with placards to protest what they described as rot in the education system and accused President Jonathan of not doing enough in the sector.
During the protest, President Jonathan who is the Visitor to the university allegedly promised the student union leaders to look into their demands as they presented a protest letter to him.
But yesterday, the students said that, “exigency and need for accountability demand that we remind the Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of his promise to the Great Ife Community as well as Nigerian students at large.
“Nigerian students historically have permanently occupied the position of the conscience of the nation as well as the voice of the downtrodden. This rich history in Africa’s most beautiful campus we have taken upon ourselves to defend. In the spirit of this, we wish to remind the first citizen of our great nation, President Jonathan of his promise to us on our university campus on 28th November, 2014 which marked his purposeful visit to our campus.
“The leadership of the students’ union on the above date submitted a protest letter to the President containing the following demands: That our hiked fees should be reversed to status quo and embargo be placed on increment in other federal institutions.
“That the welfare conditions of students be improved vis-à-vis construction and equipping of qualitative hostel buildings, lecture theatres, laboratories etc.
“That the Federal Government comply with the UNESCO 26 percent budgetary allocation to education, so that education can be properly funded by the government as hike in fees have become the culture of Nigerian tertiary institutions at all levels to fund themselves.
“That 28th December marked one full month of the President’s visit to our campus. Your Excellency Sir, we believe that our demands are the least that can be done by your government as far as education is concerned.
“We are not oblivious of the stressful demands of governance as well as efforts being made towards securing your second term in office.
However, we as the conscience of the nation and the leaders of today consider meeting these few demands of ours as practically exigent national needs that could even have effect on your second term bid.
“Despite the six months of our life given to Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU struggle in 2013, many of us have had course to stay home for some two or three more months in 2014 due to struggles against hike in fees. We in OAU may have no other option but to mobilise our rank and file against the Jonathan/Sambo second term campaign if these demands are not met immediately,” the students warned.
Source: Nigerian Pilot
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