The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has said he stands with the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU in their ongoing strike, stating that Buhari should take over the negotiation to ensure it is resolved.
Goldennewsng reports that reports that the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, said President Buhari must take personal charge in the management of issues in the country to ensure things go well in the remaining ten months he has to leave office.
The Labour Party presidential candidate, who has massive followership of youths and professionals in his presidential ambition faulted the idea by president Buhari to delegate the negotiation with ASUU to ministers who have been at the table with the university lecturers without any solution to the five months strike.
“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,” peter Obi said.
Peter obi also said it was worrisome that the demands of ASUU are made to look like difficult desires, stating that it was wrong that Councilors and local government chairmen are earning more than professors who build the capacity required to move an economy and country.
“Then, our political leaders, too, should please take this matter very seriously.
“A situation where we have local government councilors 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,” he said.