A university lecturer, Dr Clement Obadimu, has blamed the Federal Government’s inability to the meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities on misplaced priorities.

Obadimu, who lectures both at the Institute of Safety, Health, Security and Environmental Studies, University of Uyo, and Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat Enin Local Government, on voluntary services, said the federal government had prioritised certain things above ASUU’s problems.

He spoke on Wednesday at De Castle Hotels in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while fielding questions from newsmen.

The lecturer, who slammed government functionaries for purchasing outrageous nomination forms for as much as N100m naira, said such display of wealth is out of place given the fact that the federal government had been unable to meet the demands of ASUU.The varsity don, stating that he was not speaking for ASUU because he was not its member, added that he was not sure that what the lecturers are demanding was beyond the scope of the federal government.

“The federal government may say that there are so many things to do, but at the same time government cannot say that they cannot solve ASUU problem. I am not speaking for ASUU, I am not a member of ASUU because I teach on voluntary services, but government should be able to solve ASUU problems. There are many issues of misplaced priorities; there are certain things government is putting too important to be compared with ASUU’s demands. This is the challenge they (FG) are having and ASUU knows for information that, if the federal government is doing one thing or the other why is it difficult for them to meet their demands”However, he called on private organisations and individuals across the country to join hands with the federal government and salvage the situation to enable students return to classrooms.

He said, “Government may say there are too many things to do, the private individuals and organisations can team up and say let us see what we can do. I know in abroad that private individuals normally come together to salvage such a situation like that.