There has been an outrage on social media over the refusal of the National President of National Association Of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Danielson Bamidele Akpan to announce date for national convention.
Our correspondent gathered that as a result of the heated controversy on social media over his refusal, this has made the NANS National President to constitute 2020 NANS Convention Planing Committee on September 13th, 2020 for the planing of a convention that will lead to the emergence of new leadership
According to the doctrine of NANS, the Convention Planing Committee is simply to assist the NANS President to put in place the necessary logistics to ensure an hitch free Convention and all other necessary organisational requirements but not to pick a Convention date.
The Committee basically is meant to just help in screening aspirants, meet with the security agency for the planning of the security and source fund for the Convention.
However, it should be noted that the power to announce the National convention is largely vested in the National President as things stand.
So until the NANS National President is ready to go and call the Convention, the Nigerian students are all stuck and fixated at a place unless the NANS Senate President, Comrade Gambo Abubaka conveys a senate meeting and the senate decides to pick a date and venue. Even if such happens, such convention will become a factional convention.
Apart from the NANS National President refusal to call for convention, our correspondent also noted that the tenure of the President and other executives had expired.
It was revealed to our correspondent that the election of the President and other principal officers was held on June 9, 2018 at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja which equivalent to more than two years since they were elected against one year academic calendar.
According to a source close to the NANS President who craved anonymity said Danielson is unable to call for a convention because he is busy with the activities of his church wedding ceremony which will hold on November 17th, 2020.
Another source alleged that the reason the NANS President has not called for convention is because of Ondo election.
The source further alleged that Bamidele is doing everything possible to support the reelection of the Governor Rotimi Akeredolu and mobilise students to drum support for the governor.
The source however said that the NANS president will announce the date of convention after Ondo election.
As a result, this has led to many reactions from Nigerian students who stormed to social media to react on the failure of the NANS President to call for convention and the alleged tenure elongation by him which they said amounted to abuse of the constitution.
An ex-Polytechnic Senate president, Prince Mohammed Sani Hassan last Don called for the immediate arrest of the NANS, Daneilson Akpan.
The former senate president and president of National Association of Polytechnic Students(NAPS) made this statement in an interview in Bauchi state when he paid a visit to the commissioner of police Bauchi state.
Last Don said Bamidele will be taken to court very soon for acting contrary to the constitution of the Association but before then he will write a letter to the presidency, inspector general of police and the DG SSS to call Bamidele to order.
He said that Nigerian students should not be taken for granted, the interest of Nigerian students supersive the interest of few people that have turn the organization in To money making organization.
He said there was on going plan for Bamidele to organized a program title NANS at 40 for him to have what he is waiting for but not for the interest of the organization.
Prince Mohammed Sani Hassan said he call on the state Governors, senators, member House Of representatives and other personalities to shun away the program because is an illegitimate program his tenure has since expired.
Also, apart from the official statement made by the leadership of NANS Southwest led by Comrade Kappo Olawale on the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the association, Comrade Olatunji Nurudeen Solace said: “I’m personally not perplexed because it has become his tradition. A man who refused to leave office can do anything to tarnish the image of the association. A man who has created division in some zones of the association can do anything to scuttle, downgrade and render the association useless. Our leaders rallied round Dele for him to succeed, enliven the association and make it more better. It’s unfortunate he has compensated them by bringing down the association. History would never forget Mr President when he used the death of our Members to raid Ekiti, Edo and Oyo states government. He extended his selfishness to Commissioner of police in those states.
“Don’t be surprised if you heard Mr President has collected millions from government so that schools can remain closed. Mr President and his team of tax collectors are less concerned about welfare of Nigerian Students. Theirs is to raid government officials, create faction in our axis and zones, negotiate our collective interest with money, dine and wine with prostitutes, remain in office till next year.
“Something is very certain, our Global President can’t go Scot free. He should continue using NANS to enrich himself. He should continue betraying Nigerian Students. We shall all live to see results of his retrogressive actions. Those who did the same in the past are no where to be found today.
“We would not stand akimbo and allow Dele to completely bring down the association with his incompetence, negligence and waggishness. We shall all rise to challenge our solipsistic Global President and his team of merciless caitiffs. ”
Oseni Ibrahim, Coordinator of NANS Rescue Movement (NRM) had sent an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari and all stakeholders in the educational sector on September 25, 2020 which was published on Punch Newspaper over elongation of tenure and the refusal of NANS president to announce date for convention.
The Council of Zonal Coordinators had also petitioned the NANS Senate President over alleged tenure elongation of Danielson Bamidele Akpan.
NANS zonal coordinators in an open letter to the Senate President Gambo Abubaka, said that the tenure elongation amounted to abuse of the constitution.
The letter, issued in Abuja was signed by Zakari Hashim, Coordinator Zone “A”, ATBU BAUCHI, Etinyene Offongekpe Zone “B”, University of UYO, and Kappo Olawale Zone “D”, University Lagos.
In the petition, they claimed that the tenure of NANS President Bamidele and other executives had expired.
The coordinators said the election of principal officers to pilot the affairs of the organization was last held on June 9, 2018 at old the Old Parade Ground Abuja, adding that it was now two years since they were elected as against one year academic calendar.
Meanwhile, efforts to speak with the NANS National President prove abortive as he didn’t attend to calls of our correspondent.
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