Politics
PDP Group Blasts Keyamo Over Statement On ASUU Strike
A political support group, PDP New Generation, has blasted the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, for urging parents to beg the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to the class.
This is even as the group described the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a political party without empathy for Nigerians. The youth group within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spoke in a statement sent to journalists in Abuja on Saturday in reaction to Keyamo’s comment on the ongoing ASUU strike.
Keyamo, who also doubles as the interim spokesman of the 2023 APC Presidential Campaign, had advised Nigerian parents to beg the striking university teachers to call off their strike.
The minister, who spoke on Friday night on Channels TV political and current affairs programme, ‘Politics Today’, added that the federal government had no money to meet ASUU demands.
But, reacting to Keyamo’s stand, the Director-General of the PDP New Generation, Audu Mahmood, in the group’s press release, said: “The unfortunate comments by Keyamo who is also the spokesman of the Bola Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation shows that the ruling party has no empathy.
“It was indeed painful to listen to the minister defend the action of this failed government after students in Nigeria have spent six months at home. Keyamo’s comments suggest that the Buhari-led government is not interested in what happens to our universities.
“Nigerians, especially University students on strike and their parents must take note of the insensitivity that has become the hallmark of the APC administration”.
Empathy is a construct that is fundamental to leadership, but with the APC, we have seen a government that is not interested in the feelings of the people.
“We call on Nigerians to use their PVCs to respond to the APC’s wickedness by voting them out in the 2023 general elections.
“More alarming is Keyamo’s comments that the APC presidential flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, will preside over Nigeria like the outgoing disastrous government of President Buhari. We urge Nigerians to resist this kind of backward leadership with their votes in February 2023.
“To say the Buhari-led administration is the worse Nigeria has ever witnessed is to put it mildly. We cannot afford another four years of misgovernance that has shaken Nigeria to its foundations.”
Mahmood urged Nigerians to vote for Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, adding that his passion for education was unrivalled.
He added: “Atiku in partnership with some public-spirited individuals offered full scholarships to 15 out of the girls abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents from Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
“He has been consistent in his investment in education and has not waivered in his continuous advocacy for governments at all levels to prioritizs the educational sector.
“We assure Nigerians that if he is voted into power in 2023, the consistent ASUU strike witnessed under the APC government will be a thing of the past.
“We empathise with those affected by the ASUU strike but we assure them that through deliberate and progressive policies in the educational sector, Atiku will make sure parents, students and indeed, the lecturers are happy.”
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.
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