Human rights lawyer and activist, Femi Falana yesterday defended President Muhammad Buhari’s bailout funds to states, disclosing that former President Goodluck Jonathan in the past seven years spent the sum of N7 trillion as bail-out for the parasitic ruling class.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria who lashed out at the critics of President Muhammed Buhari over the bail-out funds given to states, challenged the University of Ibadan to continue to engage government on issues and educate the public on key public issues in order to make the Institution maintain its relevance.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan at the interactive forum organized by the university of Ibadan campus unions for 13 Vice-chancellorship aspirants held at the Trenchard Hall of the University of Ibadan, said those opposing such moves were going against the dictates of the Bible where it is said the labourer deserves his wage, adding that those opposing a good life for poor masses must have their heads examined.

Falana also tasked Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to ask questions over the N1.3 trillion promised intervention by the past government out of which only 200 billion was released since 2013,.

While urging the University of Ibadan to allow students unionism to allow for leadership training for students, Falana said denying students to practice leadership at students’ union level may not augur well for Nigeria as such may go to National Assembly to start fighting as the present National Assembly members are doing.

The programme which was organized by the staff unions on the campus (ASUU, NASU, SSANU and NAAT) under the chairmanship of Professor Nelson Fashina said that the forum was to allow a dialogue with the university community and be able to hold any of the candidates accountable for the promises they made while campaigning.

Those who presented their agenda among the aspirants include Professors O.O. Layiwola (Institute of African Studies), O.O. Akinyinka (Pediatrics), F.O. Egbokhare (Linguistics and African Languages), B.O. Fagbemi (Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology). Others are Professors L. Popoola (Forest Resources Management), A.I. Olayinka (Geology), A.I. Oluleye (Industrial and Production Engineering), O.D. Olaleye (Virology), A.E. Falaye (Aquaculture and Fisheries Management) and A.A. Agbaje (Political Science)

 "The labourer deserves his wages and anybody who is challenging the decision of the President as to the Bail-out must have his head examined. Rather we should be challenging the bail-out that has been given to the comprador-burgiosie in the last five years is over 7trillion naira.

“AMCON was set to take care of the debt of the rich who took billions from our banks and could not pay back. In one fell sweep N5.6trillion debt was taken over by that institution. In the last five years, 780billion naira was given to Bank of Industry to revitalize our ailing industry. Where are the industries?  N200 billion for Aviation Intervention Fund. N200 billion Agriculture Intervention Fund, N100 billion Textile Intervention fund, N213 billion to those who bought NEPA, and are currently giving us darkness government were given 213 billion naira.

“Over 7trillion has been given to our parasitic ruling class in the last seven years and that is why the university must join issues with the ruling class that is to tell them that the country is not being governed well. The federal government promised an intervention fund of N1.3trillion for the revitalisation of the Universities but only released 200billion in 2013 just to call off the strike and since then, nothing has been released.  

“The University of Ibadan must ask government relevant questions. If you do not allow our children to practice democracy in tertiary institution they will end up going to the national assembly to fight themselves as the current national assembly members are doing," he said.