Former Presidential aide, Reno Omokri has advised Nigerian students to vote for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, if they want to graduate on time.
In an article released via his Facebook on Friday, Omokri said Abubakar will address the incessant strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) if elected as President in 2023.
Omokri said that the former Vice President is the most educated of the three major presidential candidates and he is the only flagbearer that values education.
He added that Abubakar is also the proprietor of one of Nigeria’s best secondary schools and universities, and spends his time interacting with intellectuals.
He said: “Education is very important in a leader because a person cannot go beyond his boundaries, and education expands your boundaries. That is why the leaders of the G-7 richest nations on Earth are all highly educated, with 4 of them (Macron, Biden, Draghi and Trudeau) having a Masters or PhD.
“Many Nigerians have posited that Nigeria made limited progress in the last 7 years because of the restricted educational background of General Buhari. That begs the question, shouldn’t we correct that by electing a leader whose educational credentials are above board?
“Of the three major Presidential candidates, Waziri Atiku Abubakar is the most educated. Peter Obi has a second-class degree in Philosophy (but tendered only GCE to INEC), and Tinubu has a BSc in accounting. But Atiku has a Masters, with Distinction, in International Affairs. Do the math.
“Leadership and learning go hand in hand. And that is why Waziri Atiku Abubakar continues to improve himself through lifelong learning. He is also the proprietor of one of Nigeria’s best secondary schools and universities and spends his time interacting with intellectuals. The same cannot be said of the other candidates.”
Omokri claimed that universities and secondary schools were closed for months when the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi was the Governor of Anambra State.
He noted that the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, increased fees at the Lagos State University (LASU) while he was governor.
He said: “Both universities and secondary schools were closed for months when Peter Obi governed Anambra. As Lagos Governor, Tinubu increased fees at the Lagos State University from ₦250 to ₦25,000. A protest ensued, and several students were killed. In contrast, Atiku has awarded over 100 scholarships to indigent students.
“This shows the value each of the candidates’ places on education. As a leader, your success is determined by how you grow those you lead. And education is the fastest way to build people up. And Waziri Atiku epitomises that. Many of his personal staff were educated on full scholarship by Atiku.
“While some invest in a beer brewery, and others are wealthy without any apparent sources of income, Waziri Atiku made money from his group of companies, and as corporate social responsibility, he invested in education.
“If you are one of the 2 million university students in Nigeria, and you want to graduate in four years, instead of five or six, because of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, your greatest security is to vote for a man with a demonstrated love for education. The only person who fits that bill is Atiku Abubakar.”
This article was originally published on OsunDaily News
