Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and stakeholders in the education sector in Ogun State, have resolved to work for, canvass and mobilize votes for the presidential candidate of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the February 16 general election.

The lecturers made the resolve after holding a meeting with the Deputy Chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (South) and former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel at the Political Academy in Sagamu.

Representatives of all the tertiary institutions in Ogun attended this meting.

The Academics who took turns to speak, lamented what they called "the lack of direction of both the present state and federal governments especially as it relates to education development".

The lecturers say the political class has pauperized the people, causing them to sway their votes with little inducements, resulting in the election of incompetent leaders.

They also lamented the state of education in Ogun and how institutions of higher learning are starved of funds with accumulated salaries and allowances going unpaid for months.

Lauding the restructuring agenda of Atiku juxtaposed with "his commitment to create jobs for the teeming masses", the lecturers say the candidate's policies will take Nigeria out of the woods and put the country back on track.

"Atiku's promise of restructuring the nation and provision of jobs for the unemployed are key to a nation's development and the academia is ready to lend their weight behind the PDP candidate in order not to have a repeat of the 2015 scenario. We are on the same page with Atiku and whatever we do, we do it well", one lecturer said.

Otunba Daniel thereafter assured the lecturers of Atiku's undying passion for restructuring. "It should be noted that Atiku has been talking incessantly about restructuring for the past years and already has the blueprint as encapsulated in his compendium of speeches".

Restructuring, he stressed, is all about decentralization so that power is not concentrated in the centre while impoverishing the states and local governments.

"The challenge we have is that we have to rise up and say enough is enough of the present government", Daniel said.

The meeting, Daniel said, was timely and in the utmost interest of the people so that "we don't miss out in the forthcoming dispensation. 

"The coming election will be a defining moment in the political history of our country. Buhari has failed in all his cardinal programmes of improving the economy, provision of adequate security and fighting corruption. He has instead been playing politics with corruption. We cannot perform experiment with the presidency. This is not about Buhari but about the future of the country. The question is if we want the status quo to remain or if we want a change," he added.

A strike that has lasted forever

University lecturers have been on a strike since November 4, 2018, following a break down in talks between ASUU and the federal government.

A nationwide ASUU strike that has paralyzed tertiary education in Nigeria has now entered its 62nd day.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is President Buhari's major challenger ahead of the February 16 vote.

71 other candidates are also vying for the number one job in Africa's largest economy.