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Atiku pledges to work with stakeholders to end ASUU strike

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Atiku cautions members against statements compromising PDP’s unity

The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to work with the government and lecturers to end incessant strikes in Nigerian universities.

Abubakar stated this at a youth program with the theme “Intergenerational Synergy on Government”, organized by PDP to commemorate the 2022 International Youth Day celebration in Abuja on Friday.

Abubakar, who narrated how his father was arrested for never wanting him to go to school, described education as a fundamental right of any citizen, especially children and youths.

He decried the inability of the government to resolve the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), saying such would not happen under a PDP or his led administration when elected as president.

“I want to pledge that I will work with university authorities and government to make sure we end these incessant strikes by ASUU.

“This is because education is fundamental to your growth. It doesn’t matter whether you are in politics, business or any sector. The fundamental right of every youth or every citizen is to be educated.

“Therefore it is the responsibility of any responsible government to make sure that right is given to every Nigerian, every youth in this country,” Abubakar said.

The former vice president who reiterated his pledge for youth inclusive government, promised to provide youths with the opportunities to acquire the training and experience to take over from the older generations.

Abubakar urged the youth to support the PDP to take over government in 2023 to rescue the youth and the nation.

“I believe that the PDP provides the best platform for you to actualise your individual’s collective and national aspirations,” he said.

Abubakar encouraged youths who wanted to go into politics, either as part-time or full time career, to be patient and courageous in building their ways to the top.

The PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu, said that the party would take care of all when it comes back to power by 2023.

He said that there would be sufficient representation for youths in the government, both in elected or appointed positions.

“PDP is the only party that has done it in the past. I will do it again.

“We will rebuild this country and you will have a better country. Power belongs to you; power does not belong to we the old generation. We are only rebuilding to hand over to you,” he said.

The Minority Leader of the House, Sen. Ndudi Elumelu, the acting Chairman of the occasion, who passed a vote of confidence on Ayu and his executive, urged members to join the party leaders to rescue it.

READ ALSO: Wike didn’t sue Atiku to court, Reno Omokri fumes

Elumelu said those calling for the dissolution of Ayu’s National Working Committee (NWC) did not mean well for the party and the nation.

“What they should be thinking about is how to join us together to unite this party, unite Nigerians that are looking forward to PDP to rescue them and of course, come back to power come 2023.”

Elumelu urged the youth not to be deterred by what they were going through, but work with PDP to return to power.

“Let me charge youth to note that not only the future, but the present belongs to you. It is your time and you must make good use of it,” Ayu said.

The PDP National Youth Leader, Muhammed Suleiman, advised youths not to see leadership as an entitlement, but a process that involved all stakeholders in every aspect of the society.

Suleiman said that the youth must be prepared to have the right mindset and humility to deal with the challenges that come with leadership.

He said that the PDP NWC, led by Ayu, was fully youth-oriented and ready to support the youth in any endeavour.

“Our presidential candidate Abubakar has shown over the years that he is a true believer in the capacity of the youth.”

NEWS

Moghalu Prescribes Good Governance As Panacea To Ethnic Agitation

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The President of the African School of Governance, Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu has admonished state actors against resorting to brutal force in the bid to muscle out separatist agitators.

In the aftermath of Mazi Simon Ekpa, the Finland based Biafran nationalist agitator being caught in legal web and the Nigerian government moving swiftly to seek his repatriation, the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has cautioned that ‘We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.’

ALSO READ: Finnish Police Arrest Simon Ekpa Over Terror-Related Allegations

The political economist, while expressing his hope in Nigeria, made it clear that “hope is not a strategy”.

He bared his mind in a series of posts on his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X on Friday.

Moghalu wrote, “Despite sustained contemporary difficulties, I am hopeful about Nigeria. But hope is not a strategy. We need to improve state capacity for effective governance.

“We either fix our problems, or our problems will eventually “fix” us. No alternative to a renegotiated union.

“We must learn to be honest with ourselves and address the root causes of our problems. Why ignore them, when the problem is actually quite solvable? The problem with continuing with this approach is that when the danger crystallizes, those who thought they were benefiting from

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NEWS

N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden

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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.

In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.

READ ALSO: CSR: Dangote Cement Fuels Education With Support Projects At Lagos Schools

He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.

The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.

“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.

He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.

“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.

Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.

“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said

He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.

“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”

Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.

He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.

“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.

“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.

He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.

 

 

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International News

ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.

In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

READ MORE: Osun Govt Decries Attempted Murder Of Park Mgt  Chairman By Police

The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.

Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.

The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.

With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.

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