A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in the United States, Mr. Oyakhilome Bello, has pleaded with the masterminds of the #EndBadGovernance movement to sheathe their swords, as the current administration is committed to mitigating the hardship caused by its economic policies.
He made the plea on Friday during a session with the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The delegation included Professor Adesegun Labinjo, Alhaji Sama’ila Maigyara, Khairat Animashaun-Ajiboye, and Felix Miliku.
Bello, who is also a Youth Leader, expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would follow through on the pledges he made in his national broadcast to placate aggrieved Nigerians, particularly the youth. He said: “Relief is in sight as the Port Harcourt refinery is set to begin operations in a few weeks, and plans have been finalized to subsidize the cost of rice to ₦40,000 and other food items.
“The government has indeed heard you loud and clear. Let’s at this point have a rethink and come to the discussion table, especially since opportunities have been opened for dialogue.
“It is better to ‘jaw-jaw’ than to ‘war-war.’ Without dialogue, we will not have a way forward in the situation we currently find ourselves in.
“I may be based in the United States, but I am here in Nigeria with you, and I understand your plight and feel your pain,” Bello said.
He added that the Tinubu-led administration had put in place many policies and programs, including the student loan scheme, that would greatly benefit the youth.
He appealed to the youth to tap into such programs, regardless of party affiliation, noting that their protest was appreciated by the government, as it is allowed in every democracy.
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He noted that the student loan scheme of the Tinubu-led administration compares favorably with some of the historic policies introduced in the 1960s to encourage education in parts of the country.
“You will agree with me that the target beneficiaries of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), established by the administration, are indigent students across the country who may not have had the opportunity to receive an education.
“The disbursement of ₦2.026 billion to six tertiary institutions for the payment of school fees under the scheme is most encouraging, pleasing, and gratifying.
“Let’s give the government a chance and believe in its capacity to turn things around for the better in our collective interest and for future generations.
“The Tinubu-led administration, I must tell you, is not shirking its responsibilities despite obvious challenges.”
Bello, who described the meeting with the APC National Working Committee as fruitful, maintained that the delegation was committed to ensuring that the party’s banner continued to fly high in the United States and become a household name globally.
“We are grateful for the warm reception and assurance of synergy from Ganduje and our national executives. Together, we’ll make our party a household name globally,” he said.