Trail Reporters
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone B has condemned the recent inauguration of a supposed new NANS executive in Akwa Ibom State, describing it as illegal.
In a telephone chat with this reporter, the Zone B Coordinator of NANS, Comrade Pedro Obi, said the process which produced a certain DianaAbasi Robinson as the purported Chairman of the body in Akwa Ibom State lacks merit, adding that Comrade Akwaowo Clifford Ukpong is the bonafide NANS Coordinator in the state.
“Why should somebody wake up one day to setup such a parallel exco without the consent of NANS? We learnt that the exercise was boycotted by NANS Senators in the state, therefore NANS cannot give its blessing to such illegality. As a matter of fact, the masterminds of this illegality are sowing seeds of discord in the students community in that state.
Reacting to rife claims that the Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Student Affairs, Comrade Otobong Akpan, is the mastermind of the recent inauguration, Comrade Pedro Obi noted thus: “NANS is not an appendage of government, and this is to send a clear message to anyone who is using his or her appointment in government to mastermind any act of illegality in NANS. We are tired of these acts by the impostors and we will take disciplinary measures to curb it. Be rest assured that the impostors will soon feel the full weight of the law.”
Speaking on the tenureship of Comrade Clifford, Comrade Pedro disclosed that Clifford’s tenure runs concurrently with his own, and declared that he (Clifford) will relinquish power at the expiration of his tenure after which NANS convention would be hold to ratify executive committees in the zone.
He sued for peace in NANS and called on all stakeholders to always toe the path to peace.
In a release issued by the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)/ Joint Campus Committee (JCC) in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Udom Emmanuel was implored to call Comrade Otobong Akpan to order or risk losing the trust and support from the students community.
Part of the release reads: “The students community in Akwa Ibom State has known no peace since Comrade Otobong Akpan came on board as aide in charge of Student Affairs. It has been a story of impunity meted on students. Space won’t contain a chronicle of Aquilla’s sins against us.
“…to cap it all, she has sponsored a so-called inauguration of a factional NANS executive in the state. The move has been condemned by the NANS leadership. Your Excellency, call your SA to order because we can no longer tolerate her mad dog antics. Failure to comply with our humble directive will compel us to seek viable means to rectify the situation. To say that she has foisted a tyrannical rule on the students is an understatement…”
“Comrade Aquila seems to be playing the crisis script of the PDP in the students’ community and we say no to her effort to factionalize NANS.
This is not PDP where Markafi and Sheriff are locked in a brutal war of who becomes what. So, we are imploring her not to Sheriff or Makarfi us in the students community.
“Having displayed incompetence and gross abuse of the privilege to represent us in government, Aquila must be relieved of her duties before she commits worse atrocities. A stitch in time saves nine!”
