Youths and students in the All progressive congress (APC) have cried out to the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu to wade into the issue.
The group led by Mazi Ezenwa Onyirimba at a parley with students unions from the six geopolitical zones of the country believed that Tinubu have the wherewithal to address the grievances of the lecturers.
The students who expressed concern over the effect of the strike action on students faulted the notions held in certain quarters that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration should be held responsible for the challenges besetting the educational sector in the country.
The students expressed optimism that Tinubu will declare a state of emergency in the Educational, Health and other infrastructural challenges facing the nation.
They noted: “Asiwaju is a father of this nation, he can mediate between the government and ASUU, he can bring a lasting solution. He can bring both parties to the table to make some compromise because for you to achieve, you must make some compromise.
“But the issues now is who is willing to make that compromise. That’s where he steps in. That’s where he brings in his intellectual capacity to make both parties reach a compromise for the greater benefit of Nigerian students.
“The difference between Tinubu and the present government is all about who you assemble. We believe Tinubu over the time has shown capacity to build people and as a problem solver. When you look at the political setting in Nigeria, you will understand that when there some issues going on in Nigeria, they call on him.
“So we believe that if given the mandate in 2023, that he will assemble capable hands. And also you should know that the ASUU strike didn’t start from APC government. It started way back from PDP and most at times because this people had to reach agreement with ASUU they know that they cannot keep and waiting for the next government to inherit those things.
“And we believe that if Asiwaju takes charge in 2023 that he is going to make sure that ASUU strike or the issues facing the stakeholders in the education sector will be a thing of the past.”
The students in a communique at the end of the parley stressed that Tinubu’s antecedents clearly demonstrate that he has the capacity, willpower and understanding on how to fund Nigeria’s educational system.
They further asserted that he will pay special attention to the welfare of Nigerian students, staff and other relevant stakeholders in the educational sector, a better understanding in job and wealth creation and understanding of the security challenges facing the Northern and Southern Nigeria.
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