The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has called on Nigerians to vote for President Bola Tinubu for second term next year, stressing that the president has fulfilled over 90 percent of his campaign promises in 2023.
He urged Nigerians to be objective in their decisions and voting in the January 2027 Presidential election as other opposition candidates have no clue of the work they want to come and do.
The Minister spoke in Abuja during the unveiling of fresh agreements with tertiary staff unions.
He said "I have to commend you for the trust you repose not only in me, but President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, because we have a president today that when he made all his campaign promises, he didn't just make those promises because oh, I want to win elections. He made them with full intention that the day whenever he gets sworn in, I will decisively work on all the promises that I made.
"And if anybody will go and check the the promises that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made,.... pull it out. Today if you mark it objectively, the president has accomplished over 90% of the campaign promises he made.
"So let's not allow opposition candidates that have no clue of what they want to come and do, to cause misinformation and disaffection amongst the people.
"This is not a campaign podium, but please let's use objectivity in the way we assess our matters. Go back, look at what has happened to Nigeria in the last three and half years. This country we're going through a Nigerian renaissance. We've finally taking our country back.
"For continuity, this President needs another four years. We shouldn't even be discussing campaign and everything. People should be saying Mr. President, here is four years. It's not rhetorics, let's look at what this President has done." he stated
Unveiling the new Federal Government agreements with academic and non-academic staff’ unions in tertiary institutions, Alausa said that they will ensure stable academic calendar, industrial harmony, and improved staff welfare in tertiary institutions.
Stressing that it is a new phase in government’s relationship with university, polytechnic and college of education workers, he expressed commitment of the Federal Government to implementing all provisions reached.
The agreements, according to him, are evidence of President Bola Tinubu administration’s determination to fulfil its promises to Nigerians.
Pointing out that the agreements would not have been possible without presidential support, he expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for his intervention in resolving long-standing challenges in the education sector prior his administration.
Noting that the agreements signing was historic, he said previous unresolved commitments between government and tertiary institution workers had often resulted in prolonged disputes, strikes and disruptions of academic calendars.
Those years, he said, students and parents had suffered the impact of repeated industrial actions, with many four-year academic programmes taking longer than expected because of strikes and interruptions.
The Minister added “When President Bola Tinubu campaigned, he promised that a four-year course would be completed in four years. Today, these agreements give practical meaning to that promise — a promise made, a promise kept, and trust restored,”
Dr. Alausa insisted that the Federal Government would meet its obligations under the agreements, noting that successful implementation remained key to rebuilding confidence among stakeholders.
The unveiled agreements include the Consolidated Academic Tour Allowance (CATA) for academic unions in polytechnics and colleges of education, and the Consolidated Non-Teaching Tour Allowance (CONTTA) for non-academic unions across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Stating that the latest agreements is effective from January 2026, he informed the gathering that the agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had already been unveiled last December.
Describing the allowances as necessary support for professional responsibilities and operational demands of eligible workers, the Minister confirmed that payment of CATA and CONTTA had commenced in tertiary institutions.
According to him, the quality of tertiary education depends heavily on staff welfare, motivation and favourable working conditions.
The government, he said, would continue to prioritise fair treatment, transparent promotions, safety and career growth.
To facilitate compliance, Dr Alausa announced the expansion of the existing Implementation and Monitoring Committee (IMC) established for ASUU agreements into a broader body responsible for tracking all agreements involving academic and non-academic unions.
The decision, he said, followed the success achieved when a single committee managed negotiations with various unions, stressing that government was considering transforming the expanded committee into a permanent structure.
“We must identify challenges early and address them quickly instead of allowing unresolved matters to destroy trust or interrupt academic activities,” he said.
He therefore urged government agencies, governing councils, institutional managers and union leaders to work closely with the committee to ensure proper documentation and adherence to implementation guidelines.
The Minister also appealed for dialogue before industrial action, noting that grievances should first be channelled through the monitoring committee.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has your back. Do not go to the press first when there are issues. Bring them to this committee because we have created a channel to resolve them,” the Minister stated.
Stressing that strikes should no longer be the first option for resolving disagreements, he said that the agreements provide a framework for addressing concerns before they escalate.
According to him, the agreements contain a three-year review clause, allowing government and unions to revisit provisions and make necessary adjustments through consultation.
He commended ASUP, the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and other non-teaching unions for their cooperation and commitment during the negotiation process.
Industrial peace, he noted, was key for carrying out research development, effective planning and ensuring that students complete their programmes without unnecessary delays.
He also commended the Federal Government Technical Institution Expanded Negotiation Committee, headed by former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Malam Yayale Ahmed, for his contribution to the success that led to unveiling of the agreements.
Speaking at the occasion, Malam Yayale Ahmed, said progress made possible due to dialogue, mutual respect, empathy and compromise.
“I decided that I should not see myself, nor should our team see itself, as we versus the unions,” Ahmed said
Noting that he helped union leaders to appreciate government’s constraints, he said that at the same time, he sought to understand the concerns of the workers.
Yayale Ahmed commended the union representatives for defending their members’ interests while recognising the government’s position.
According to him, the agreements marked the beginning, rather than the end of the process.
The implementation, he said, must follow the provisions agreed upon, warning that the gains of negotiation could be undermined if commitments were not honoured.
In brief remarks, representatives of the unions noted that the success of the exercise would depend on the government’s willingness to implement the agreements fully.
The SSANU/NASU representative expressed concerns over outstanding obligations, including unpaid 35 per cent wage award arrears and two months’ withheld salaries for members of the two unions.
The unions, he said, were also awaiting full implementation of their 2026 agreement.
On his part, the ASUP representative noted that the process was faster than previous renegotiation, adding that negotiations began in December 2025 and culminated in the signing of an agreement in April 2026,