Ibadan — The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has berated Senate President Ahmad Lawan for asking protesting students not to use their protest to disrupt political activities.

The University of Ibadan ASUU chapter chairman, Prof. Ayo Akinwole, said on Thursday in a statement that Lawan represented the class of political vipers bent on destroying the future of children of the masses.

Akinwole said as a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lawan did not show the capacity to solve problems by not knowing the importance of education over political activities.

He said it was unbecoming of a Senate president to prioritise political activities over education.

ASUU went on strike on February 14, demanding better conditions of service, funding for public universities and deployment of the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS), among other things.

"It is inconceivable for a Senate president to see political activities as more important than having students back to learn and develop the society. The Union, ASUU, informed, lobbied and appealed to the Senate to avert the strike, but they were not forthcoming. We see a house loyal to the ruling political elites and not Nigeria," stressed Akinwole. "To this set of politicians, anything can suffer but their access to the common treasury. That is a sign of irresponsibility."

He commended the students for fighting for their rights.

"Education is a right and not a privilege," said the ASUU leader in UI. "The youth, Nigerian students have an inalienable right to be concerned and must take actions they considered appropriate to secure their future."