President Goodluck Jonathan has called on Nigerian
youths to shun any acts of violence, thuggery and
other negative vices that might hamper the 2015
general election.
President Goodluck Jonathan
Speaking at the second convocation of the Nigerian
Turkish Nile University, Abuja in where Governor
Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State and the Director
General, State Security Service, Ekpeyong Ita, were
awarded honorary doctorate degrees on Saturday,
urged Nigerians to vote for credible candidates with
proven ability for leadership.
"I would like to point out especially to our youths
that the general elections are fast approaching, this
calls for responsible engagement and participation"
Jonathan said. "While encouraging you to vote for
credible candidates of your choice, I urge you to shun
all invitations to political thuggery or acts that can
undermine free, fair and credible elections."
The president, who was represented by Suleiman
Bagoro, the Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education
Trust Fund, reiterated the Federal Government
determination in winning the war against insurgency,
and noted that terrorism was planned to mar the
country's peaceful co-existence.
"These are trying times for our country, occasioned
by the challenge of terrorism. Innocent lives are
being wasted by some people who have chosen to
undermine our cohesiveness as a people" he said.
"They will not succeed, we are determined to win this
war and win back peace which is prerequisite for our
development".
He added that efforts were being made to stop the
inequality between Bachelor's degree holders and
Higher National Diploma certificate holders in the
public service, and went ahead to lament the over-
dependence on paper qualification. He said the crux
of his administration was to address the challenges
facing the education sector.
"Our aim in government is to address
comprehensively, the challenges facing the education
sector. We must move the focus from the mere
acquisition of certificates to the development and
application of skills for which individual students are
best suited" he said.
Responding, Ita, while commending the institution for
the award pointed out that the challenge of nation
building could only be made easier if tertiary
institutions produced graduates that were
academically and morally sound.
"This will most definitely redefine character, norms
and the socio-cultural belief system of the society to
one that is positively and progressively oriented for
the growth, peace and development of the nation"
Ita said.
Huseyin Sert, the Vice-Chancellor of the university in
his remark said that the institution was aimed at
enhancing bilateral relation between both countries,
and noted that all the courses offered by the
university have been accredited by the National
Universities Commission, NUC.
UNDER MAINTENANCE