Labour Party presidential Peter Obi said funding of the educational sector would be a major priority, if he becomes President next year. He argued that it was necessary to ensure timely graduation of students from schools. “I will not allow them to make you stay eight years for a five year course; five years will be five years. “If I have a problem with ASUU it is between me and them. You shouldn’t suffer for our disagreement. “As president, I will participate in the running of the universities. I assure you that when I become president I will visit at least 10 universities in a year. “I visited over 500 secondary schools when I was a governor in Anambra and all their school prefects have my phone number and I deal with them directly,” he said. Mr. Obi said that if elected, he would ensure that the system works because that would be the reason for electing him. He added that his administration would be for youths and women, adding however, that this doesn’t mean that the old people would not be left out completely. “This government is going to be a youth and women’s government; the old people will be there as advisers, they will guide us, we will respect them but the youth will Spearhead it,” he said.
Mr. Obi promised to increase education funding, grant autonomy to universities and also grant loans to students and ensure that the strike was nipped in the bud finally. Mr. Obi also met with the Rivers traditional rulers in their Chambers and was received by their chairman, His Majesty, King Dandedon Douglas Jaja, the Amanyanbo of Opobo.
