Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), on Saturday pledged to grant full autonomy to all public universities operating in Nigeria when elected.
His comment is coming three months after the federal government announced that it would review the university autonomy laws following agitations by the Academic Staff Union of Universities over improved welfare and revitalisation of public universities.
The former governor of Lagos State, who believes the full autonomy is possible, added that he is willing to take the risk if Nigerians can entrust the task of leading the country to his care.
Speaking at the Eagle Square, Abuja, the venue of his campaign , Tinubu who arrived at the rally in the company of his running mate, Kashim Shettima and the party’s National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, declared that he was determined to leave a lasting legacy for youths of the country.
He said: “I want you to remember and accept the fact that what we are doing is all about the youths, our children and about our today, tomorrow and thereafter. What should be there for you is the joy of democracy and democratic values.
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“We will establish more opportunities for education. Universities will be autonomous. You should be able to get student loans where necessary if your four-year course is four years. Be a scientist and an explorer, be a great researcher and a builder.
“For you, we are ready to work, to serve the country in order to serve you well. We want to serve you by turning the ship around. But you are angry. What are you angry at? It is about development, lack of jobs, insecurity and high prices of foodstuffs.
“Angry that you have had frequent strikes from higher institutions. I stand here and promised you today that all of that will be forgotten. But you must be dedicated. You must add values as citizens and be more creative in a way that would make you employable tomorrow.”
Autonomy in Nigerian varsities in simple terms connotes a situation where each university exercises its right to select or admit its own students, decide what to teach and determine its areas of research.
But with the National Universities Commission (NUC) still in charge of monitoring, accreditation and supervision, the prestige and autonomous status of varsities have been eroded for years.
