President Bola Tinubu
Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has called on Nigerian undergraduates to support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, arguing that students are enjoying unprecedented stability in the country’s university system under the current administration.
In a statement shared on Saturday via his X handle, Omokri urged students to reflect on the long history of industrial actions by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and what he described as a significant break from that past since President Tinubu assumed office.
“As a student in a Nigerian university, ask yourself when was the last time you had a strike by your lecturers and their union, the Academic Staff Union of Universities?” Omokri said.
He stated that, “the last time ASUU went on strike in Nigeria was on Friday, October 14, 2022,” adding that, “since President Bola Tinubu assumed office on Monday, May 29, 2023, there has never been an ASUU strike in this nation of ours.”
According to him, the impact on students has been far-reaching. “A four-year course is now a four-year course, and not a five-year curse,” he said.
Omokri noted that ASUU, which was founded in 1978, has a long record of industrial actions. “The Academic Staff Union of Universities was established in 1978 and, since its founding, has had to go on almost 50 industrial actions,” he said.
He further added, “since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance on Saturday, May 29, 1999, there have been sixteen strikes by ASUU,” stressing that, “every administration between 1999 and 2022 has experienced multiple ASUU protests.”
Describing the current academic stability as unprecedented, Omokri said, “this is the first and only time since ASUU was founded in 1978 that Nigerian undergraduates have had a smooth, uninterrupted, and unimpeded academic calendar for three consecutive years.”
He explained the practical benefit for students, saying, “it means that you will graduate on time as long as you pass your examinations and fulfil your class attendance requirements.”
Omokri directly credited the president for the development. “And who did this for you? One person and one person only: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the lover of education,” he said.
Beyond strikes, Omokri said financial hardship has historically disrupted students’ education, but argued that the Tinubu administration anticipated this challenge. “Other than ASUU strikes, the only other thing that could have disrupted your education as an undergraduate was finances,” he said.
He referenced the signing of the Student Loan Bill, stating, “Bola Tinubu signed the Student Loan Bill into law on Monday, 12 June 2023.”
Providing figures, Omokri said, “as of today, Saturday, 13 December 2025, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has granted student loans to approximately 788,000 students.”
He urged student voters to consider these developments ahead of the 2027 general election. “So, as a Nigerian undergraduate who is registered to vote, ask yourself this question,” he said, before adding, “why should you leave a steady hand like President Bola Tinubu in 2027?”
Omokri also referenced university expansion under the current administration, saying, “President Tinubu has, as of late today, approved a total of 20 new private universities and two new federal universities.”
Warning against academic disruptions, he said, “this is your future we are talking about. Staying at home for one year is not a joke,” adding that, “that is almost 2% of your lifespan.”
Drawing on religious texts to underscore the value of education, Omokri said, “God did not call you to be a drunkard. He created you to acquire beneficial knowledge,” and added, “that is why the Bible says, ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge,’ and al-Quran says ‘Iqra.’”
He concluded by urging students to prioritise their education at the polls. “And since that is the case, it is in your own interest to re-elect the Pillar of Education in Nigeria in the person of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Omokri said.
