The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has disclosed that it will take a Nigerian professor at least 100 years to save money in order to purchase the presidential form of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

ASUU also disclosed that a professor will have to save money for 40 years to purchase the presidential form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Report has it that the APC presidential nomination and expression of interest form was sold for N100 million, while that of the main opposition, PDP was sold at N40 million.

With this high cost of nominations and interest forms,the best brains in Nigerian politics are being excluded from active participation, placing Nigeria’s future in the hands of looters.

ASUU Chairman at the University of Ibadan, Professor Ayoola Akinwole, in a statement to commemorate the June 12 anniversary on Saturday, noted that the high cost of the nomination form is a strategy by the political elites to hand over the country to looters.

Akinwole stated that the 23 years of the return of democracy has been characterised by the leadership of empty promises and dashed hopes, insisting that it will take a Nigerian Professor, who earns N416,000 per month, but saves 20 per cent of his salary, over 100 years to be able to purchase the presidential nomination form of APC and over 40 years to purchase that of the main opposition party, the PDP.

Akinwole said, “It is a strategy of handing over the country to those individuals who have looted the country in the past. If this practice goes unchallenged, Nigerians are in for not just another regime of poor governance but that of extreme corruption and looting.

With the prevailing level of corruption and loss of hope in the future, political leaders in Nigeria have shown lack of willingness and capacity to protect lives and properties and they have successfully failed in promoting productive activities that can boost the Nigerian economy.

Until we improve our economic situation democracy will not prosper. The only antidote to this is to have large percentage of middle class sufficient to support democracy. Build public institutions instead of giving money to people. No amount of money freely given will ever eradicate poverty in Nigeria.