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Atiku pledges to work with stakeholders to end ASUU strike
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.
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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.”
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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