The National Association of Nigeria Students/Joint Campus Committee (NANS/JCC), Osun State, and the National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS) yesterday passed a vote of confidence in the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, saying he deserves to be re-elected for a second term.
The ecstatic students, who had earlier embarked on a solidarity walk for Oyetola, said their endorsement was informed by the governor’s outstanding performance in the past three and a half years. They said they can no longer be neutral in the face of physical realities of competence, capacity and experience of Governor Oyetola.
National President of NAOSS Comrade Yusuf Moshood Agboola said the governor had distinguished himself as a ‘committed and transparent leader whose modest achievements are unprecedented in the history of Osun’.
He added: “We are not here for a political jamboree. We are formidable, resilient and highly-principled students of the state who believe strongly in good governance and responsible leadership. We are here on a strong conviction of good governance and quality leadership as being demonstrated and provided by Governor Oyetola to redefine the socioeconomic fortune of our dear State.
“Our endorsement of the governor is not induced by anything other than empirical facts and figures we have gathered and attested to since his emergence in the past three and a half years. We have no choice but to support this government and ensure the governor is returned for a second term because he has done excellently well in all ramifications, particularly in the areas of education…”
National President of NANS/JCC Comrade Oyelayo Oyewole hailed Governor Oyetola for running a student-friendly administration, saying his outstanding performance had endeared them to him.
“Just few months ago, the students’ union leadership was able to meet Mr. Governor where we laid down some of the challenges confronting us and, to the glory of God, all the challenges have been resolved.
“We presented nine problems, and he resolved them, and this prompted us to reciprocate the gesture by ensuring he is returned. He has successfully provided vehicles for us across campuses. He has heeded our calls not to increase tuition, and he has been paying salaries and allowances of our lecturers regularly. That is why we have not for one day gone on strike…”
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs and Social Mobilisation, Comrade Kehinde Ayantunji, hailed the students for being resolute and for standing by the truth.
He said: “…the entire student structure in Osun came out massively to endorse Governor Oyetola for a second term, having critically and painstakingly assessed his remarkable performance in the last three and a half years. They have confirmed that they endorsed the governor based on his outstanding performance. They were convinced by the responsible leadership provided by the governor in education, workers’ welfare, security and his love for the students.
“One of the strong points they made was that at this crucial moment, they cannot be neutral as they need to align with a government that has prospect for their welfare. That is why they have been out in large number since morning to reciprocate the good gesture of Mr Governor…”
Governor Oyetola thanked the students for their continued support and cooperation since the inception of his administration, noting that their high level of maturity and understanding had culminated in the success recorded in the tertiary education sector.
Oyetola, who promised better days ahead, extolled the students for the appreciation of the modest achievements that God had helped him to accomplish within the three and a half years of his administration, saying they have just seen a tip of the iceberg of what he has in stock for them.
He added: “I must commend you for your maturity and high sense of understanding, which had earned us the smooth running of academic sessions all through without a single moment of strike. I can claim today that no lecturer can say he is not receiving his or her salary in full as and when due.
“We have equally done so many things to ensure an improved welfare of workers in all our tertiary institutions, and I can assure that the second term will be better as we are committed to taking our state to enviable heights.
“I reassure you that your welfare will continue to be my priority. We have approved and disbursed the payment of bursary to our students 100 per local government, but I want to assure you that this will be increased to 200 per local government…”