By Mustapha Salisu
HOTPEN – President Muhammadu Buhari has pleaded with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to classes.
Buhari made the request while addressing the nation on Saturday to commemorate Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Day.
The President expressed his dismay at the halt in academic activities of tertiary institutions nationwide.
“I must confess that I am very pained by the recurring disruption to our tertiary education system and I am using this Independence Day celebration to re-iterate my call for the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to the classroom while assuring them to deal with their contending issues within the limits of the scarce resources available. This administration has made appreciable progress in redressing these issues that have been lingering for over eleven years”.
While assuring them that their demands would be met within the scarce resources of the state, President Buhari has also pleaded with aspirants of the forthcoming 2023 General Election to avoid the use of hate speech during their campaigns to avert violence between their supporters.
“As we begin the transition process to another democratically elected government, I want to implore all aspirants to conduct issues-based campaigns devoid of hate speeches as well as other negative and divisive tendencies.”
The President assured of improvements comes 2023 General Elections with a high degree of credibility, transparency and freedom of choice with the people’s votes counting as he prepares to wind down his administration.