The duo spoke on Friday while paying Sallah homage to Niger State governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, at the governor’s private residence in Minna, the state capital.
“Each and every one of us have the right to pass information to the authorities and in turn, the authorities should try also to protect their sources of information so that together, we can have a peaceful country because without any peace, there will be no nation, without peace, you cannot go and look for your daily bread, without peace, you cannot go on strike and so, it is absolutely necessary that first and foremost, we should all put hands on deck to ensure there is security and peace in the nation,’’ one of the two former leaders was quoted as saying.
Babangida, who was the first to speak in an interactive session with newsmen at the occasion, said that “I know that in all developing countries and especially democratic countries like what we are trying to do here, strikes are normal happenings and I am sure that government is doing its best to address those issues and this is going on now.”
Abdulsalami also said that the issue of industrial action was normal all over the world, but pointed out that in Nigeria, the organised labour unions were overdoing it by extending strike action beyond 24 hours
“I believe in what President Babangida said that a strike is a normal issue all over the world. But I think in Nigeria, we are overdoing it because in some countries where they are civilised, they do strike under 24 hours depending on the situation and in order to draw attention to their plights. In turn, the government also looks into these issues to see that the demands that were legitimate were met regardless of the dwindling resources,” he said.
General Abubakar, however, admonished the striking university lecturers to be reasonable in their demands, saying that ‘’both the lecturers on strike and the citizens of the country are already feeling the pains of the strike action.”
The two former military rulers appealed to the media to be objective in reporting happenings in the country and refrain from inflaming the situation.
Abdulsalami also expressed the belief that the Federal Government was listening and was doing the best it could to meet the demands of the striking lecturers, adding that the two feuding parties should refrain from throwing the baby with the bath water.
“I think this is what we are doing at the moment. So, I appeal to each and everyone of us to really play the citizens role. If you ask, you are demanding, demanding from the government, also what are you contributing to help the nation? Strikes are legitimate, but the things should be done within a reasonable limit. Once you make a point, you go back to work and let us hope that the government should look into the demands of the strikers,” he said
... Tribune
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