Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has called for urgent action on the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
Professor Osinbajo spoke on Tuesday when he received members of the Progressives Governors’ Forum in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Governors visited to felicitate Professor Osinbajo as he recovers from the surgical procedure he had gone, last month.
He expressed his appreciation for the Governors visit and their good wishes.
During the brief interaction that followed at the meeting, important national issues were also raised especially the economy and the ASUU strike.
The Vice President and the Governors agreed to engage these and other pressing issues further to bring urgent resolution for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
He said; “We all need to work together on these critical issues. We need to think through things, and we need to do it fast.”
Nigerian doctors
The Vice President also commended the expertise of Nigerian doctors and the availability of cutting-edge medical facilities existing in the country.
He, however, regretted that doctors are restrained by regulations from advertising and as a result, many people are unaware of the level of quality medical services available locally.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting with the Vice President, the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, appealed to ASUU to consider the future of the next generation of Nigerians.
Governor Bagudu recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had made a similar appeal to the lecturers in July during the Eid-il-Kabir celebrations in Daura, Katsina State, calling on them to save the future of Nigerian students.
He said; “During the Sallah visit we paid to the President in Daura, he appealed to ASUU to be mindful of the future of the next generation.
“He didn’t play blame game; he spoke as a father. He even went further to say that even if ASUU has been offended, they should please think about the next generation.And all of us are appealing to ASUU in particular and all stakeholders. Let us do what will ensure that we don’t miss out.
“Nigeria is competing with other countries. We don’t have the luxury of time. So, we continue to urge all stakeholders to do the same thing.”
Felicitation
Governor Bagudu said that the APC Governors visited the Vice President to express their happiness over the successful surgical procedure he went for last month and to felicitate him.
He explained that Professor Osinbajo showed “confidence in the Nigerian medical establishment because he had the procedure in Nigeria.”
According to him, “the Governors sought to know from Vice President Osinbajo how capable the team that performed the surgery was and how he would recommend to Nigerians “the amazing opportunities and capacity that are in our medical establishments.
Governor Bagudu said; ” the VP said that in other countries medical practitioners can advertise their skills. In Nigeria, there is a professional code of conduct that denies them the opportunity. So, he invited us to look at that, so that we can also, maybe, put pressure on Nigerian medical professionals to be at par with their counterparts in the world to enable us to know the capacity and competencies that are here locally.
“And I am sure that can boost medical tourism in Nigeria and also boost the utilisation of Nigerian professionals.”
Reconciling APC members
Bagudu said that members of the APC have “acted very commendably” after the party’s presidential primaries and are mobilising to work for the success of the party at next year’s general election.
He said; “We are very proud that consistent with the democratic traditions around the world and in Nigeria, our party members have acted very commendably…We had one of the freest and fairest primaries that Nigeria has ever recorded. You can only compare it to the 2014 primaries in Lagos, which produced then-candidate but now President Muhammadu Buhari.
“So, we are very proud of our party’s conduct where every aspirant was given a free and fair opportunity.
“ And because that is the case, our party men and women across the country can mobilise and participate in showing all party members why they should remain in APC and work for APC and pray that APC should continue to govern Nigeria.”
Other Governors present at the meeting were Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State; Simon Lalong of Plateau State; Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Muhammad Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa State; Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara; Abubakar Bello of Niger State; Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State; Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa, and the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Kelechi Igwe.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
