The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, described his seven years in office as "tough" saying "I am eager to go."
He mentioned this while calling on the Academic Staff Union of Universities to consider the plight of the future generations of the country as the strike extends into its fifth month.
In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, President Buhari said this when he received some governors of the All Progressives Congress, legislators, and political leaders at his residence in Daura, Katsina State.
According to the statement which is titled 'Enough is enough, President Buhari urged lecturers to consider generational consequences.'
Lamenting the toll his official duties have taken on him in the last seven years, President Buhari told the visiting governors and political leaders that he had not been to his house in Daura for close to a year due to the demands of office.
The President explained that the schedule of work was much, saying he recently had to sympathise with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, who had to be away most of the time from his family.
He claimed that relative to the resources available, and compared to the last administration, the government had done well in many areas, particularly in infrastructure.
"I am eager to go. I can tell you it has been tough. I am grateful to God that people appreciate the personal sacrifices we have been making. I wish the person who is coming after me the very best," he said.
Addressing the now six-month ASUU strike that has crippled academic activities in public universities nationwide, the President appealed to lecturers to consider the effect of the strike on future generations.
According to him, the strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students, and other stakeholders, birthing moral issues that beg for attention. He said enough is enough.
While claiming that the government understands ASUU's position, the President remarked, "We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don't hurt the next generation for goodness sake."
He urged well-meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to the leaders and members of the association, to intervene in persuading the lecturers to reconsider their position and the ripple effect on an entire generation and the nation.
President Buhari said students from Nigerian universities are already handicapped in competing with their counterparts in a highly connected and technology-driven workspace, therefore, keeping them at home only deprives them of time, skill, and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.
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