The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is currently embroiled in a leadership crisis over the distribution of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to higher institutions across the country.
A faction within the association has accused the National President, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, and the Students’ Senate President, Comrade Babatunde Akinteye Afeez, of favouritism in the distribution process. Consequently, the faction has passed a vote of no confidence in the two leaders.
The accusation was outlined in a petition collectively signed by several individuals, including the Deputy Senate President of Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, Kano State; Comrade Huzaifa Sabo Usman, a National Ex-official; Comrade Anderson Chimezie Uwakwe of the Federal College of Land and Resources Technology, Owerri, Imo State, who serves as Vice President for Special Duties; Egbo Johnpaul Nnamchi from the Enugu State College of Education; Comrade Gundu Mimidoo Joy, Public Relations Officer of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State; as well as Abdulkaman Muhammad, Comrade Muhd Muazu, Mamuna Bello, Paul Edoh Gabriel, Kabiru Saminu, and Okafor Ernest Obinna. The petition was recently made available to journalists in Awka.
A copy of the petition was also forwarded to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Director General of the DSS Headquarters in Abuja, the Inspector General of Police Headquarters in Abuja, the EFCC, ICPC, the SSA to the President on Students’ Matters, the Minister of Transportation, NANS Zonal Coordinators, NANS JCC Chairmen, and all SUG Presidents. The petition specifically urged President Tinubu to take immediate action to prevent a breakdown of law and order and protect his political integrity.
What’s in the Petition
In the petition, the students expressed their strong outrage and disappointment over the unfair distribution of the CNG buses recently donated to the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). They believe the decision made by NANS President Comr. Lucky Emonofe, in collaboration with Senate President Comr. Babatunde Akinteye Afeez blatantly disregards fairness, justice, and transparency.
These buses, intended to benefit all Nigerian students, were distributed in a way that left many students without access to this essential resource. This inequitable distribution is expected to lead to a shortage of transportation options on campuses, causing unnecessary hardship and economic strain for students.
The economic impact of this unequal distribution is significant. Many students depend on affordable transportation to travel to and from their campuses, and the lack of sufficient buses will worsen their financial difficulties. The shortage will force students to rely on more expensive transportation alternatives, increasing their financial burdens.
In addition, this situation will likely be seen as a severe failure by the NANS leadership, damaging the credibility of the President and Senate President and raising concerns about their administration’s commitment to fairness, transparency, and accountability. Taking immediate action to resolve this issue and restore students’ trust in NANS leadership is crucial.
In light of the above, the students have called for the following actions from the federal government: a thorough investigation into the distribution process to identify those responsible for the unfair allocation of the buses, immediate redistribution to ensure equal access for all students, and accountability for the NANS President and Senate President, with appropriate disciplinary measures.
As a result, the students have passed a vote of no confidence in Lucky Emonofe and Babatunde Akinteye Afeez. They believe it is the responsibility of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ensure that resources meant for all students are distributed fairly and transparently.
The students hope that President Tinubu will swiftly address this issue and restore Nigerian students’ confidence in NANS leadership.
