The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) has described as empty and inconsequential the claims by President Goodluck Jonathan of outstanding achievements in the education sector.

Rather, the organisation said the administration was responsible for serious shortcomings in the sector and blames the president for presiding over the greatest decline ever known in the education sector in the country’s history.

In a statement issued by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC presidential campaign organisation, Mallam Garba Shehu, the APC blamed the administration of President Jonathan for the present confusion in the sector characterised by long strikes caused by the poor management of the sector by his appointees.

“Second characteristics of the sector are the ill-equipped and poorly-staffed universities set up by President Jonathan in 2011 for the purpose of winning votes. The Jonathan’s universities are more like glorified secondary schools. Thirdly, is the continuous mass failure of young Nigerians in international examinations like the West African School Certificate (WASC)”.

In the statement, the APC presidential campaign spokesperson said:
“We have taken note of President Jonathan’s song in his recent campaigns around the country about the number of new universities and tertiary institutions he has set up in the past six years and how he hopes that these would train our youths to take the country to the moon.

“We dare say that none of the new universities set up by President Jonathan, meets the standard of good institutions in terms of infrastructure, adequate and well-trained academic staff and proper planning about the future growth and development of these universities.

“Therefore, it amounts to self-deceit to say and believe that his ‘’political universities’’ can take Nigeria to the moon. As a result of the lack of foresight and policy somersault of the Jonathan’s government in the area of education at all levels, the nation has continued to grapple with the problem of low standard of many young graduates and high rate of failure of the nation’s youths in international and national examinations like WASC and NECO.

“Therefore the claim of President Jonathan of having performed wonderfully in the education sector is a bogus claim which cannot stand rigorous examination and analysis.

“We say unequivocally that the future of our education is now precarious because President Jonathan has only carried out cosmetic improvements for the purpose of winning votes and retaining power rather than well thought out and fundamental changes that genuinely transform the sector.

Meanwhile, thousands of supporters of the APC on Tuesday thronged the commercial city of Kano wearing T-shirts and holding placards bearing the poster of the party presidental candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) who visited the state for the presidential campaign rally.

The party members who defied the sunny day, gathered at the venue of the rally in Kofar Mata Stadium while others stood by the roadside holding different posters of Buhari with inscription of ‘Oyoyo Baba,’ meaning ‘welcome Baba.’

It was also observed that the streets of Kano were jammed with the Buhari supporters who came from the 44 local government areas of the state, while tricycle riders known as ‘Yan Adaidaita sahu’ adorned their  vehicles with the banners of the presidential candidate.

THISDAY learnt that it took over five hours for the crowd to allow the presidential candidate and his entourage move into the city from the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport.

Addressing the crowd, Buhari vowed to ensure that his administration overcomes the security challenges facing the country, adding that: “I want to repeat what I have said in most of the states visited that my administration will ensure three cardinal policies if elected into power.”

The presidential candidate who was overwhelmed by he crowds, said:
“The three cardinal policies includes security, fight against corruption and people to ensure that their votes count at the polling unit after the election.”

“I am appealing to you to come out massively and vote for the APC. With this crowd, I am optimistic that you will come out and voted for our party. Anyone without permanent voters’ card should do it as soon as possible,” he said.

Also, Dutse, the Jigawa State capital yesterday stood still as Buhari visited the state in continuation of his nationwide campaign tour.

Thousands of supporters and admirers came out at the Malam Aminu Kano Triangle to have a glimpse of the general whose helicopter took several minutes hovering over the venue of the occasion before it finally landed.

In his speech, the APC presidential candidate said Nigeria was presently at a crossroads and would need the concerted efforts of all for it to get out of the socio -economic quagmire it had found itself.

He said the devaluation of the naira, socio-economic backwardness, insecurity, and general lack of social amenities would be a thing of the past if he is elected into office.

Buhari said he would fight corruption headlong and would give opportunity to the less-privileged Nigerians to enjoy free education and do his best to do away with the insecurity in the North-east.

“We are quite aware of the massive pogrom in places like Borno and Yobe States and will by the power God stop those senseless killings.”
He added that his government would boost agriculture and provide job opportunities to the teeming youths in the country.

Also speaking is the Chairman of the APC in the state, Alhaji Ado Sani Kiri, said the wind of change has come in the country and nothing will stop it.

Meanwhile, the umbrella organisation coordinating various support groups campaigning for Buhari has accused President Jonathan of not doing enough to check the activities of Boko Haram.

The group said contrary to what the spokesman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh, wants Nigerians to believe that the President prevented Boko Haram from overrunning Nigeria, available evidence points otherwise.

“It is the Jonathan administration that handed over Nigeria to Boko Haram when he admitted publicly that his strategy of dealing with Boko Haram at its infancy was one of treating them with kid’s glove. This singular miss judgment of strategy made him lose valuable time to tackle the insurgency most appropriately.

“When the Chibok girls saga erupted, it took the government weeks to come to terms with the reality. Handlers of the president such as Metuh, Doyin Okupe and Reuben Abati, were always busy chasing shadows, calling the APC all sorts of names as the people sponsoring Boko Haram while available global intelligence pointed in the direction of al-Qaeda with  the radicalisation of this home grown insurgents.

“Also the President body language at the onset  emboldened terrorism when you recall his comment after the 2010 Independence bomb blast -that my people, the MEND,  are not responsible for the  bomb blast,” it said.

The spokesman of the group, Dr. Chidia Madueke, said as Commander in Chief, (C-in-C) who is desirous of securing the nation and prospering the people, Boko Haram would have become history by now if appropriate responses were deployed at the appropriate time.

“We are at loss which ceasefire Metuh is claiming to have secured with Boko Harsm. Is it the bogus ceasefire that never held even for one day?

The APC had in past called for a detail probe of that bogus ceasefire which  rather resulted in further loss of Nigerian territory within very short period.

“The PDP spokesman failed to inform Nigerians why the Cameroonians and Chadians are now combating Boko Haram with greater ferocity and achieving better success in freeing their nationals from Boko Haram abductors or even repelling attacks emanating from Boko Haram.

“We demand that the PDP misrule government apologize to Nigerians for the very shoddy manner they have handled the North-east insurgency. They should apologise that under their clueless and inept administration the sovereignty of Nigeria has been serially breached and alien flags allowed to fly within our territory.

“They should explain to Nigerians why reports on three commissions of enquiry set up to address the insurgency since 2009 are all gathering dust along the corridors of Aso Rock Villa.

“PDP should explain to Nigerians why increasingly other global Heads of State are showing disappointment on how the insurgency is being handled by the Jonathan administration,” it said.