Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the government’s inability to resolve the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike would never happen under his administration.
ASUU has been on strike since February 14 over the federal government’s failure to honour an agreement on issues bordering on funding of universities, as well as salaries and allowances of lecturers.
Speaking on Friday at the commemoration of the 2022 International Youth Day in Abuja, the former vice-president said the most important and fundamental right of any youth is the right to education.
“Therefore, I take very strong exception to the strike by ASUU. The inability of the government to resolve that crisis will never happen under a PDP government or administration that I will oversee,” he said.
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“I have been investing in education for the past 30 years.”
The PDP presidential candidate pledged that he would work with the university authorities and government to make sure the incessant strike comes to an end.
“I believe the PDP provides the best platform for you to actualise your individual, collective aspirations,” he said.
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“Of course, I have made many public pronouncements of my intention to have a youth-inclusive government. This is because it is our responsibility to provide you the opportunities to acquire the trainings and also the experience to take over from us your parents.
“So, I want to congratulate you and I hope this year will usher in an administration of PDP.”
Meanwhile, a report by TheCable showed that during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, between 1999 and 2007 when Abubakar served as vice-president, ASUU went on strike six times.
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