By Adejorin Tai Manuel
Nationnewslead report that National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has a tradition of holding her convention periodically. It is at this conventions that elections into several offices are conducted within the purview of the NANS Constitution and Charter of Demands and then powers change hand from a set of executive members to another led by the National President each time.
The year 2023 NANS Convention should not be an exemption. It should have been done with and the winners declared at the venue after a free and fair election has been conducted and all Senators given free access to exercise their civic responsibility of electing the students of their choice, who will lead them all through the academic year.
The Pre-convention was organized by the executive of NANS in Owerri, Imo State and several plannings and deliberations were put in place to make sure that this year’s convention would be a huge success. After this event in Owerri, every Nigerian Student began to anticipate. The time came and the convention/election date was released (Monday, November 27 to Thursday, November 30, 2023 – with each day representing a function or the other including the accreditation of Senators and the election proper).
Nigerian Students converged in Abuja in their thousands on Monday, 27th November, 2023, to usher in a new set of executive to start another year as leaders of Nigeria’s student body. Since that Monday up till now, many issues have come up but I must sincerely say that no contestant is without a blemish. No side of the coin is without discoloration.
Here are some of these discolorations as it affects each side of the coin:
1. Earlier in the week, we heard that Comr. Pedro Obi collected #45m from the former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. The news went round and it was not at any time denied by Comr. Pedro himself. #45m is some huge balance that could cause an imbalance if pushed into the election via whatever quarters;
2. Just the way it’s deafeningly loud right now that Mr. Seyi Tinubu has a preferred candidate in Comr. Lucky Omonefe, we also heard from sources that Comr. Pedro Obi too is the preferred candidate of the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Chief Mrs Folasade Tinubu-Ojo;
3. It also emanated from some quarters, with picture proofs, that the present NANS President, Comr. Usman Barambu and the present NANS Senate President are solidly behind Comr. Pedro and they are not hiding it from anyone. As a matter of fact, they have tilted a lot of policies because of Pedro and they’re have been taking him around and garnering financial support for him from every angle;
4. Everyone in this convention knows that we have two major contenders for the post of NANS National President and they are Comr. Lucky and Comr. Pedro. So, for Lucky to be vehemently attacked with all sort of weapons during a meeting with Zone B leaders, there would be no way that people would not think that Comr. Pedro has a hand in it;
5. Comr. Pedro publicly declared in a video that has since gone viral that he has PLENTY OF MEN. The meaning of this in NANS is highly understandable within the NANS community. He also assured his supporters that he will participate in the election and that he is so confident of victory. We all know that he, Comr. Pedro also did some native security mobilization, hence he’s not clean and stainless.
Now, my bewilderment is that why is Comr. Pedro suddenly anxious and unsettled? What is he scared of when he has the present NANS National President and the Present NANS Senate President giving him quality support within and without ? Why is he backing down so fast when he has a strong financial backbone in the person of Gov. Okowa and other rumoured supporters?
The hospital saga came about as a result of a brawl between these two camps and some found themselves in the hospital. It takes two to tangle. There’s no saint here. Thank God for the quick intervention of the men of the DSS who helped to restore normalcy immediately.
The constitution was judiciously playing it’s role and the atmosphere became favourable and the election was about to commence with the accreditation of Senators from all NANS recognized higher institution, who are the eligible votes in the election. Accreditation started and all of a sudden, Comr. Pedro and some of his supporters gathered in Agura hotel and he declared himself winner of an election that he did not participate in.
This whole facade performed by Comr. Pedro is whimsically mischievous. His action is totally inessential because it has made it conspicuously obvious that he backed out because he has already accepted defeat. Few hours ago, some leaders were on the television pledging their support for Pedro for Comr. Pedro and reiterating with their full chests that the election will hold. Then, all of a sudden, he declared. What for?
Matter-of-factly speaking, I will like to affirm that this single action is an affront on the dignity of the Nigerian Student. This is 2023 and not 2003 where you will want to force students to lead them. That would not work anymore. He ought to have waited for the election and test his popularity has he has always claimed.
Conclusively, within the purview of the NANS Constitution and Charter of Demands, Comr. Pedro’s action is criminal and it does not portray him as the right leader for the Nigerian Students – being a community of intellectuals. I’d hereby advise that Comr. Pedro quicky retrace his step and withdraw the declaration and stick to the demands of our dear Constitution for NANS to maintain her dignity and integrity and for Comr. Pedro not to disappoint his supporters who believes in him so much.
Comr. Adejorin Tai Manuel
(aka Aluta ATM)
Ex. SUG President,
UNIOSUN
