Exclusive: Akeredolu Hires Pro- Govt Students’ Leaders To Counter Protests Over Adekunle Ajasin Varsity’s Tuition Hike
8-10 minutes

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has hired disgruntled students’ union leaders in some Ondo State owned tertiary institutions to stage a pro-government protest against the students of Adekunle Ajasin University who have been campaigning for a reversal in the recent astronomical hike in their tuition, Sahara Reporters can report.

It was authoritatively learnt on Tuesday night that some of the hired students’ leaders have been asked to mobilize other groups from different campuses to support the state government against the Adekunle Ajasin University students.

Students of Adekunle Ajasin University had on Monday begun a massive protest over the hike in their tuition fee from N35, 000 to N180, 000.

The protests by the students on Monday crippled business and commercial activities in the state capital.

Many of the students who spoke during the protest said the new fee was unacceptable and not affordable.

They also accused Governor Akeredolu led government of commercializing the educational institutions in the state.

Local traders and market women who are parents had already shown solidarity with the protesting students and called on government to urgently reverse the hike in the tuition.

Meanwhile, an impeccable government source that spoke to our correspondent exclusively disclosed that Mr. Akeredolu hired the pro-government student union leaders with the sum of five hundred thousand naira to support his government on the hike in the tuition.

The source revealed that the students leaders are being hired to carry out a counter-protest against the students of the Adekunle Ajasin University.

He added that Governor Akeredolu has also instructed his Special Assistant on Student’s Affairs, Banji Adewumi to carry out the “hatchet job” of mobilizing the pro-government protests by some students to support the hike in the tuition fee.

According to same source, the state Commissioner of Education, Femi Agagu and Commissioner of Information, Mr. Yemi Olowolabi have also been asked to begin a propaganda campaign in the media against the protesting AAUA Students.

“The governor (Rotimi Akeredolu) held a meeting with his political aides and the Commissioners for information, and that of the Education with a plan to counter all the protests of the Adekunle Ajasin University Students.

“And shortly after the meeting, it was concluded that some students should be mobilized through some former students union leaders to carry out a pro-government protest that would support the hike in the tuition of the institution.

“The Governor is already in touch with his aide on Students’ Affairs to mobilize the students with half a million naira to protest and support the government over the hike in the school fee.

“The plan is to mobilize the students of the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH) and some from the University of Medical Sciences who are paying the large sum of over N150, 000 and N180, 000 to justify the action of the government in increasing the fee of that of Adekunle Ajasin University”.

Sahara Reporters reliably gathered that Governor Akeredolu was embarrassed by the massive protests of the Adekunle Ajasin University students.

“When the students started the protest on Monday, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu ran to Lagos where he went to attend the book launch of his younger brother.

“The Governor was very embarrassed by the protest of the students, especially as the news went viral that businesses and commercial activities have been shut down in the state due to the protest.

“He (Akeredolu) wasn’t comfortable as he started receiving calls from some his close friends who were asking what was really happening in the state, following the protests by the aggrieved students.

“In fact, at a time he had to shout on one of his political aides on the phone to do the needful when the pictures emerge

Source:- Saharareporters