Implores ASUU to shelve strike for humanity’s sake, says govt may not meet demands
Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has called on Nigerians to arise and rescue the country from persons that have plunged it into crises.

Kachikwu, who made the call, yesterday, during a State of the Nation address, also implored striking members of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) to return to lecture rooms as part of their sacrifice for the future of the country, even as he stressed that the current government lacks the capacity to meet their demands.

“Lecturers go back to classes. You have sacrificed before. Sacrifice one more time for the sake of our children. This government can’t afford to pay your demands. They are broke. They can’t give what they don’t have. Please, go back to classes and save the future of our children,” Kachikwu implored.

He, particularly, decried the security situation in the country, recalling incessant cases of attacks on Nigerians by terrorists and bandits, which culminated in the attack of President Muhammadu Buhari’s advance team.

He also mentioned the attack on the medium security prison in the Federal Capital Territory by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), where over 879 detainees escaped.

He noted: “No minister, national security adviser or president has resigned. The shame of a nation! Who did this to us? We reduce the dead to nomenclature, such as ‘scores killed’, ‘dozens killed’ and ‘hundreds killed’. Don’t we know they have names? They had dreams, ambitions and aspirations.

“What needs to happen before we know Nigeria is a failed state? Who needs to die again? Which school needs to be attacked? Who needs to be kidnapped before we realise that this administration has nothing more to offer?”

He added: “Beyond the killings and kidnappings, we also have to contend with a failed economy; tens of millions unemployed and underemployed. ‘Yahoo’ and the trade in human parts are now accepted as industries in our nation. The naira is N612 to the dollar today.”

Kachikwu feared that the most painful part of Nigerians’ collective suffering is that people have become too afraid to speak out.

He said: “The media operate in fear of having their licences suspended or revoked. The opposition parties dread invitation from security agencies when they speak out of turn. The people remember the forgotten victims of the #ENDSARS protest, so they stay silent in the face of despair, disillusion and abuse.”

He noted that leaving Nigeria for other countries is also not an option and called on citizens to look within and find the courage to start again.

He said: “Nigerians are hungry, suffering and afraid. This is the hill before us. We must understand that we must first have a country before we can talk of elections.”

Who will save Nigeria? Who will save Nigeria from her government? Who will save Nigerians from Nigerians? You!

“Today, we must reset. We must take our country back from these evil men. We must resist all invaders. We must defend our lands, our cities and our country, block by block. This is our patriotic duty.

“No longer will we let religion, tribe and tongue divide us. Those who have destroyed our country are from all tribes, tongues and religions so we must not be deceived.”

Kachikwu also urged the media to remain resilient, as the last hope of Nigerians, saying if the media allow themselves to be cowed, there would be no hope left for the country.

He said: “As I prepared to make this speech today, certain media organisations declined to cover me. They were worried that I would say something about the government that would affect them.

“There is no society in the world that can survive with a cowed and cowardly media. None. When the parliament fails, when the executive fails, when the judiciary fails, when society fails, the media must never fail. If they fail, then all hope is lost. The media must arise and shine at a time like this. Your country needs you.”

Kachikwu added: “My dear Nigerians, all hands must be on deck. This ship will run aground if we don’t act fast. The poor and hungry we ignore today will eat us tomorrow. The terrorists we pamper today will kill us tomorrow. The religion we introduce into politics today will divide us tomorrow. The politics and politicians we avoid today will govern us tomorrow.”