Gbajabiamila Speaks on Enrolling in Havard Amid ASUU Strike

Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has expressed regrets about the post he made on Twitter after enrolling in Havard University, one of America’s most prestigious institutions.

The lawmaker was heavily criticised after the post where he shared photos of himself attending a leadership course with his classmates.

The public was infuriated and saw it as a snare and an insult to Nigerian students who have been at home for over 5 months following the strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

The lawmaker was also criticised by some activists and stakeholders.

The Speaker has returned to Twitter to describe his post as insensitive and called on Nigerians to forgive him

Gbajabiamila admitted his action was wrong but noted that as a Speaker of the House of Reps, he had used his position severally to intervene in the lingering ASUU strike.

He claimed that he had engaged relevant agencies and stakeholders over the shutting down of the public universities and that necessary steps are being taken to ensure that the varsity staff called off the strike to allow students resume to their classes.

Gbajabiamila’s apology note read: “Yesterday, I posted a picture of myself at the @Harvard @Kennedy_School, undergoing a course. That post was not sensitive to the present feelings of fellow citizens, especially parents and students who are presently bearing the brunt of the ongoing closure of public universities owing to the unresolved issues between the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“I apologise for the post at this time, and I hope you will understand that it was not my intention to cause disaffection. As Speaker of @HouseNGR, I have made multiple interventions within the powers of the legislature to avert the ongoing strike. I had direct engagements with ASUU, and relevant government agencies.”

Read also:

Gbajabiamila Enrolls in American University

Femi Gbajabiamila Speaks on Enrolling in Havard Amid ASUU Strike