From Noah Ebije, Kaduna

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), and national chairman, Network for Election Education, Dr. Kailani Muhammad has tasked the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 election, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to expand his campaign team in order to accommodate those who felt sidelined.

Dr. Muhammad said this has become necessary so that the party would not approach the election with divided house.

The APC chieftain spoke on Wednesday while addressing a press conference in Kaduna on the State of the nation.

According to him, “We therefore advise that APC and the presidential candidate must not approach the 2023 election with a divided house. Already PDP is in disarray and APC must therefore not join the fray. Our goal is to win election and defeat all the opposition hands down.

“Of recent, members of the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressive Congress standard bearer, Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu were announced. But as the list was released, the party kicked against it and expressed dissatisfaction with the formation, citing non involvement as its reason. Other stakeholders, the APC governors also showed their dissatisfaction.

“In politics, it is a matter of give and take. While the party and all its structures will work for the presidential candidate to win the election but the supremacy of the party must be seen to be visible, recognized and respected.

“The campaign council has to be all inclusive, transparent and accommodate all shades of political interests and organizations. Hence, there is need to expand the council and avoid over heating the process.

“The state of the nation is gradually becoming so grim, particularly in the education sector that is having impact on other sectors, particularly security of the nation and unemployment.

“As a group interested in having a better Nigeria, we will support all the relevant agencies to move our country forward.

“We have efficient plan to mobilize and sensitize the public on the importance of participation in political process and in electing credible leaders that will steer the ship of this country.

“We will support APC from bottom to the top and work diligently for the defense of the votes cast for the party at all levels.

“The task before every one of us is to rise and join hands together to meet up with the expectations of the country”. He said.

Dr. Muhammad however, lamented about the going strike by the Academic Union of Universities (ASUU), and called on them to sheath the sword.

“The country had already experienced over seven months old strike and the disagreement is yet to be resolved.  The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU has been engaging various governments since 80’s using strike methods to achieve their objectives.

“Yet, the challenge continues as a result of non fulfillment of 2009 agreement by the Federal Government and of recent, its disagreement with the federal government over the mode of payments to university lecturers.

“Alumni associations of Nigerian universities, clerics, parent bodies, students and other voices of reason have warned that the Federal Government and the striking lecturers should resolve their differences to avoid catastrophic consequences on the nation’s educational development and its backlash, which could lead to widespread insecurity, unemployment and above all destruction of the educational system, with disastrous consequences on the nation’s development.

“No country, especially the developing countries will joke with education and if does, the consequence would be better imagined than said.

“Nigeria as a developing nation, must accord the priority attention the education deserves, while ASUU should act with all patriotism to avoid further devastating consequences on the nation’s educational development.

“The government must close ranks and soften on its position and come to terms with ASUU, while the academic union should accept to come to terms and sheath the sword”. Dr. Muhammad added.