On Monday, Academic Union of Universities (ASUU) President Muhammadu Buhari pleaded with ASUU to suspend its five-month protest.
On February 14, ASUU began a 30-day warning strike in retaliation for the Federal Government’s failure to follow the agreements struck between the two parties.
The strike had been extended three times by the union since it started around 150 days ago.
According to a press release from his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari made the call while receiving Sallah tribute from several All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, lawmakers, and other party leaders in Daura, Katsina.
This was President Buhari’s second time pleading with ASUU to call off the strike.
The president pleaded with the union to take into account the hardship of the students and stop the strike during the 19th National Productivity Day and the presentation of the National Productivity Order of Merit Award to 48 illustrious Nigerians and organisations in May in Abuja.
And on Monday, he asked the university lecturers to change their minds about going on strike, stating that the move would have an impact on families and the advancement of the country.
“We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the protracted strike,” Buhari stated. The days of keeping students at home are genuinely over. Please, do not harm the next generation.
“Colonial type education was geared towards producing workers in government. Those jobs are no longer there. Our young people should get education to prepare them for self-employment. Now education is for the sake of education.
“Through technology, we are much more efficient. We should encourage our children to get an education, not only to look for government jobs.
“By this time next year, I will have made the most out of the two terms, and in the remaining months I will do my best.
“If you are greedy, you won’t look around to see what is happening with those who are less endowed.
“The observation that I abandoned my base was made by the Emir of Daura, Dr. Faruk Faruk, at the Eid prayer ground. He held the microphone and told everyone that the last time I was in Daura was during the Eid-el-Kabir of 2021.
“In 10 to 11 months, I will come here. I have a better house in Kaduna, but it is too close to Abuja.’’
He encouraged the APC leaders to continue working for the good of the people and the country.
The president added: “We are a lucky people, and we need to reflect more on where we are coming from.
“I wish the person who is coming after me the very best.”
