KASU Crisis PDP Candidate Accuses Kaduna Govt Of Putting Publicity Ahead of Education

KASU Crisis PDP Candidate Accuses Kaduna Govt Of Putting Publicity Ahead of Education

The prolonged industrial crisis at Kaduna State University (KASU) has assumed a fresh political dimension, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 election, Hon. Usman Shehu Bawa, popularly known as ABG, accusing the Kaduna State Government of placing publicity, foreign travels and administrative spending ahead of the state’s education sector.

Bawa made the allegation in Kaduna while addressing journalists on the worsening disagreement between the state government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), KASU chapter.
He described the dispute as having gone beyond a conventional industrial disagreement, arguing that its consequences were being borne directly by students, parents and lecturers whose academic and professional futures, he said, were being placed under prolonged uncertainty.
According to him, the continuing crisis is also threatening the quality and stability of tertiary education in the state, as experienced academics are allegedly being pushed out by unresolved grievances and poor working conditions.

He warned that the situation could ultimately undermine Kaduna’s capacity to produce the professionals required to drive its economic and social development.

Bawa also turned his attention to the state’s education financing, arguing that budgetary allocations alone should not be used to measure government commitment to education without examining actual releases and expenditure.

He cited figures which, according to him, showed a decline in education’s share of the state budget in recent years.

He further alleged that the 2026 education budget was reduced from N243.9 billion to N219.2 billion, representing a decline from 24.74 per cent to 22.2 per cent of the state budget.
The PDP candidate also raised questions over capital expenditure at KASU, alleging that only N439.7 million, representing approximately 2.8 per cent, was released from a combined final capital budget of about N15.2 billion for 2024 and 2025.
“These are not merely figures on paper,” Bawa argued, insisting that inadequate releases ultimately translate into deficiencies in classrooms, laboratories, libraries, research facilities and other critical infrastructure required for effective learning.

He further alleged that the state government had spent substantial sums on international travel, publicity and other administrative activities while outstanding obligations to university workers remained unresolved.

Citing what he described as official expenditure figures, Bawa claimed that billions of naira were spent on international travel and related expenses in 2025 and 2026, alongside significant expenditure on publicity and advertisements.
He contrasted the alleged expenditure with an outstanding N800 million in earned academic allowances owed to university staff, arguing that the government should urgently reassess its priorities and redirect available resources towards resolving the education crisis.

The PDP candidate’s position was reinforced by his broader argument that Kaduna’s education challenge extends beyond KASU.

He cited figures indicating that 74.3 per cent of Primary 4 pupils and 63.3 per cent of Primary 6 pupils were unable to attain minimum proficiency in basic literacy.

For Bawa, the figures represent a warning that the state’s education crisis cannot be addressed solely through public relations or announcements, but requires sustained investment, functional institutions and measurable outcomes.

He therefore called on the Kaduna State Government to return to negotiations with ASUU-KASU and implement the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement, saying students should not continue to bear the consequences of an unresolved dispute between government and university workers.
“Our students cannot remain collateral damage, our parents cannot continue paying for administrative incompetence, and our lecturers must not be forced to choose between their professional dedication and basic human survival,” he said.

Bawa also unveiled what he described as the “Five-Point ABG Education Alternative”, which includes cash-backed education budgeting, dedicated funding for tertiary institutions, permanent dialogue with ASUU, reduction of what he considers wasteful administrative expenditure, and the establishment of a public performance dashboard through which citizens can monitor education spending.

The proposals, he said, are intended to move Kaduna’s education policy away from promises and headline figures towards actual implementation and accountability.

The PDP candidate’s intervention comes as education remains a major political and social issue in Kaduna State, with the KASU dispute placing renewed attention on the relationship between government funding, university administration, staff welfare and students’ academic progression.

For a state that has historically projected itself as a major educational centre in Northern Nigeria, the continuing crisis at one of its flagship institutions presents a challenge that extends beyond party politics.

The immediate responsibility, therefore, may be less about winning the political argument and more about restoring stability to the university, protecting students from further disruption and ensuring that lecturers can return to the classroom under conditions that sustain quality teaching and research.

The Kaduna State Government is expected to provide its response to the allegations and figures presented by the opposition candidate.