The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, and Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, to retire rather than run for president.

NANS expressed worry that under the All Progressives Congress, “individuals who have no credible history or present may now come out to announce their goal for the position of the president without shame” (APC).

The students stated that the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari “had devalued the position of the president so much” that Ngige and Nwajiuba may run for the highest office.

“Many of such disappointments include the humiliating declaration of intention and purchase of interest form by the duo of the Minister of Labour and the Minister of State for Education, Mr Chris Ngige and Mr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, respectively,” they said in a statement signed by the Ogun State Chairman of NANS, Damilola Simeon and made available to Journalist on Thursday.

The students emphasized that Ngige and Nwajiuba “failed to settle the continuing ASUU strike among many other concerns plaguing the ministries they both lead.”

“By conventions, failures like Mr Nwajiuba and Ngige should resign from their posts and issue an open apology to Nigerian children and their parents for failing to fix the education sector problem,” Simeon stated.

“Unfortunately, they have demonstrated their shamelessness by announcing their desire to vie for the federation’s highest post.” If Buhari is receptive and sensitive to national concerns, both guys should be welcomed by letters of expulsion as Ministers within 24 hours of their public pronouncement. Or what chance is there in a man who has failed in only one ministry yet aspires to be President?”

In the same spirit, NANS condemned the APC’s dignification of “failed Ministers with access to purchase nomination form of the party” as “heartbreaking,” adding that “this is proof that the party leadership prioritizes cash produced from form sales over national interest.”

“This goes with the unbelievable fact that the form is sold for 100 million Naira in a country where over seventy percent of her citizens survive on less than a dollar per day; and a ruling party that has failed to address this poverty rate is mocking her citizens through this,” the statement continued. Our worry is also that these persons who buy APC interest forms and PDP interest forms for as much as N100 million and N40 million, respectively, lack conscience. We feel that no one with real means and decent intentions would acquire the form in order to aspire to a presidential post paying less than N60 million per year for four years.

“This is a transparent parody of Buhari’s anti-corruption campaign mask.” Even so, it is absurd that someone like Kogi and River States Governors Yahaya Bello and Nyesom Wike, who owe wages and/or pensions, could confidently acquire form. This demonstrates how terribly our political system has been dragged to its knees. In conclusion, as much as we accept the authority of parties to choose their internal affairs, as well as people’ political rights, it is critical that we express our concerns in the benefit of our precious nation.”