In a reaction to the recent claims by the Minister of State, Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike that Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and the factional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) group; “New PDP” are behind the lingering industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU), the faction has demanded for the immediate sack of due to the sensitivity of the sector.
The faction made the call to President Goodluck Jonathan in a statement by its national Publicity Secretary, Eze Chukwuemeka wherein it cautioned Wike over outrageous political statements not expected of a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
New PDP opined that it is a fact that saying Wike is a disaster as a Minister is to state the obvious.
“We advise him to minimize the damage which he is doing to the Jonathan administration by concentrating on his work instead of busying himself making enemies for the President whom he pretends to be loyally serving but whose downfall he is secretly plotting.
“In any case, we are not overly surprised by Wike’s tirade because he is capable of saying or doing anything, no matter how outrageous” the faction noted.
New PDP further noted that President Jonathan is busy persecuting and embarrassing his true friends and political associates that matter in his political calculations rather than address enemies within his cabinet.
“We have read with dismay the statement credited to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, that Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State and the New Peoples Democratic Party are behind the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU.
“Thus laying the foundation for this lingering strike that has mortgaged the future of innocent Nigerian youths? And did any member of New PDP negotiate on the part of ASUU during the recently deadlocked talks with the FG over the strike?” the statement queried.
It further read: “We would have ordinarily ignored Wike’s outburst as the ranting of a confused and clueless minister but have decided to reply so as to set the record straight.
“It is unfortunate that instead of committing himself towards finding a solution to the crippling strike, Wike has instead chosen to trivialise the issue and to ridicule himself. Unfortunately, it is the actions and utterances of court jesters like Wike that have made perceptive Nigerians to describe the Goodluck Jonathan administration as a kindergarten government.
“For Wike to have made this statement against a group that ordered her members to fast and pray for this unfortunate strike for over a week and even set up a Committee under the Chairmanship of His Excellency, Gov Babangida Aliyu to proffer solutions on how to come out of the quagmire occasioned by Wike’s inability simply demonstrates the lack of wisdom on his side!
Besides, the splinter group challenged Wike to produce evidence “to back up his allegation or bury his head in shame forever” adding that neither Gov Amaechi nor any member of the New PDP was a part of the negotiating team on behalf of the Federal Government in 2009 when it reached the agreement with ASUU “which it has inexplicably refused to honour”.
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