The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr. Peter Obi has explained why he believes that President Muhammadu Buhari should be the one handling the ongoing negotiations with the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU) on a personal level saying that education must be prioritised.
Speaking in this interview on Sunday, gave reasons why Nigerians should collectively work to salvage the country from an imminent collapse.
He stated called on the federal government to do everything within its powers to ensure that Nigerian students return to the classrooms warning of the implications of not doing so.
‘What we have on our hands is a situation that requires presidential intervention. The minister that has been given an ultimatum has not just been appointed to oversee the education sector. It is not that he has just been drafted to do the job. This is a job that has not been done to deliver on an outcome that is desirable, so, giving an ultimatum to your minister is like saying, continue to talk as they’ve been doing?
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He stated that; ‘President Buhari is the one on whose desk the buck stops. He should sit with ASUU and engage and resolve this matter. If he can sit with party leaders over presidential primaries and get a result, he should sit with ASUU and ensure that this strike comes to an end.
‘Then, our political leaders too, should please take this matter very seriously.
‘A situation where we have local government councillors and chairmen and assembly members earning much more than professors is not ideal. Education is key. The President should take charge. The same things goes for the looming food crisis. Our President should spend the remaining nine or ten months to take personal charge.
”The President should pay serious attention, personally, to the ASUU strike. The most important investment a nation can give to its citizens is education.’
Africa Daily News, New York recalls the university union had on February 14th embarked on an industrial action which has now entered its 5th month.
