A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ekiti Central federal constituency II seat in the 2023 elections, Lere Olayinka, has begged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end its five-month-old strike action in the interest of Nigeria.
Olayinka said his plea became necessary against the backdrop that the current President Muhammadu Buhari-led government would not accede to ASUU demands and end the strike as expected by Nigerians.
In a post on his verified Facebook page on Saturday including photos of him kneeling down, the House of Representatives hopeful, while addressing the University teachers, claimed that a Minister in the Buhari government, Festus Keyamo, had hinted that the federal government was helpless on the matter, hence Nigerians should beg ASUU to end the strike.
Olayinka added that ASUU should end the strike action and await the time when there would be a government in place, which will do the needful since the Buhari government will not do it.
Olayinka wrote: “Dear ASUU,
“I am on my bended knees this morning, pleading as a parent that this strike in our universities should end.
“My plea is premised on the confession of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (I won’t address him as a SAN because a SANship is about having sense), that the Buhari’s APC govt of 53 thieves has lost every sense of responsibility to end the strike.
“Keyamo said on Live TV yesterday, that on the strike, the FG has become helpless, hopeless, clueless, useless, visionless and directionless.
“Therefore, it has now become the duty of Nigerians to beg ASUU to end the strike.
“Consequently, in the name of God, I am on my knees begging ASUU to call off the strike so that our children can return to school.
“This is not to say that I do not appreciate the demands of ASUU, but I am sure that when we have a govt in the country, the demands will be addressed.
“More so that the strike NO even KONSAN those in this Buhari’s APC government because their children are either in universities abroad or private universities in Nigeria.
“Thank you as you consider this my plea and call off the strike.”
