Kaduna State officials and ADC candidate clash over KASU funding

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate Isah Mohammed Ashiru are engaged in a dispute regarding the management of the education sector and Kaduna State University (KASU).

Ashiru has accused the state administration of neglecting education and failing to implement agreements with university lecturers. He cited reports that approximately 200 professors and academic staff had resigned from KASU due to poor working conditions and unresolved welfare issues. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has also threatened an indefinite strike, demanding the payment of outstanding allowances, promotion arrears, and the implementation of federal wage awards.

In response, KASU Vice-Chancellor Abdullahi Musa disputed the resignation figures, stating that ‘barely 50’ staff members had left rather than 200. The state government, through Commissioner for Information and Culture Ahmed Maiyaki, defended its record by highlighting budget allocations. Maiyaki noted that education received 25 per cent of the state budget in 2024 and is projected to receive 26.14 per cent in 2025, totaling approximately N246.5 billion for the 2026 budget cycle.