Saraki Asks Buhari To End ASUU Strike Without Delay

Bukola Saraki

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki has urged the Federal Government to resolve the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU).

Saraki made the call on Wednesday in Abuja, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu.

“The Federal Government must immediately work to address the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU), because this issue goes beyond negotiations.  It is affecting the education of Nigeria’s students, and disenfranchising many of them from participating in the upcoming general elections,” he stated.

Saraki warned that the undergraduates might be denied the opportunity to vote in the general elections if the demands of the lecturers are not met.

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While noting that the youths make up over 51 per cent of the voting population, the Senate President noted that a situation whereby the strike prevents them from participating in the polls where they registered isn’t acceptable.

“In another vein, our youth make up over 51 per cent of registered voters. What does this mean for our electoral process, when young students who are registered to vote in their academic institutions, cannot do so because their schools are shut down? This is unacceptable.

“In this regard, I call on the Federal Government to immediately work on meeting the demands of ASUU and honouring all its prior commitments. On our part, the Senate will continue to work to ensure that Nigeria’s education sector is strengthened — and we are ready and willing to collaborate with both the Federal Government and ASUU to end this strike, and ensure that it does not become a recurrent issue,” Saraki said.