By Akaniyene Amanam
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone B has condemned the recent inauguration of a parallel 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 and should
not be accepted by anyone, adding that Comrade Akwaowo Clifford Ukpong
is the bonafide NANS Chairman 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. We know the viable means of seeking
redress.”
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 held 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 in Akwa Ibom State, the
Chairman, Comrade Clifford Ukpong, frowned at the purported
inauguration and warned “anyone impostor to steer clear or risk being
made to feel the full weight of the law.
Ukpong declared that
“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”, adding that “it has been a story of impunity meted on
students. Space won’t contain a chronicle of Aquilla’s sins against
us.’’
He continued: “…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!"
The SA, Comrade Otobong Akpan, could not be reached as her mobile phone line was not connecting.
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