The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)

  • NANS disrupts House of Reps celebration

    NANS disrupts House of Reps celebration

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Friday disrupted the second anniversary celebration of the 8th National Assembly at the assembly complex in Abuja.

    The incident occurred at the House of Representatives version of the celebration when Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, introduced Mr Harruna Kadiri as President of NANS.

    Instantly, members of the association, in a loud chorus, rejected the recognition of Kadiri as their president, and insisted that it should be withdrawn.

    They continued the chorus of “no, no, no, Kadiri is not the president of NANS, he is not our president’’ and stalled proceedings in the celebration.

    It took some effort of security operatives at the event to get the students out of the chambers for the celebrations to continue.

    Speaking immediately to journalists on behalf of the protesting students, Mr Chinoso Obasi said that he was the substantive president of the association.

    He displayed a letter of invitation to the event addressed to him as NANS president.

    Obasi recalled that at the house’s invitation, he participated as NANS president in a public hearing recently conducted by the Committee on Tertiary Education and Services “to defend a bill that has to do with Nigerian students’’.

    “Today, I am here on invitation, not on my own, to attend this celebration and I am being embarrassed with another fellow being recognised in my place.’’

    He accused a member of the house, Herman Hembe, who he said was a member of NANS, as being responsible for the development.

    “A Sergeant-at-Arms Officer had approached me and asked for my name and I gave my complimentary card.

    “To my greatest surprise, when the speaker was about to recognise my presence, the Hembe went to meet him and the speaker recognised Kadiri instead,’’ he said.

    Obasi disclosed that Kadiri lost in the association’s election held in 2016.

    He decried the incident, saying “at a time when democracy is being preached, it is saddening to see the House of Representatives undermining the process.

    “We are not a political party; we are not an arm of government. We are only a pressure group, so, why the attempt to impose somebody on us who is not representing us?” he said.

    Obasi said NANS would pass a “vote-of-no-confidence in the speaker’’.

    In a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Hembe questioned the media for bothering itself about the incident.

    Hembe said he wondered why the media preferred controversial issues to other burning issues in the country.

    “Is the NANS issue news worthy? You media people, why do you like controversy so much?

    “Of all that happened today at the anniversary celebrations, of all the speeches, is this the only thing you saw to write?

    “You can write whatever you want,” he said.

     

  • NANS to submit anti-corruption report to Buhari

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Sunday in Abuja, said its report on anti-corruption was ready for submission to President Muhammadu Buhari.

    NANS President, Mr Chinonso Obasi disclosed this when speaking with newsmen at the side-lines of a thanksgiving service to mark the return of Buhari at Faith Miracle Centre International(FMCI).

    NANS had on March 8 declared a three-day prayer for the quick recovery and early return of Buhari to Nigeria.

    He said that God had answered the prayers of over 40 million Nigerian students as the president, who had been on extended medical vacation, returned within the period of the prayer.

    Obasi said that students were grateful to God for granting their prayers.

    “The urgent appeal I am making to Mr President, which is why we prayed for him to recover and come back, is to urgently order the anti-graft agencies to beam their searchlight on our tertiary institutions.

    “We have done a lot of work underground; any time within the week, we will be submitting our report on anti-corruption war we have been fighting.

    “We believe so much that he will swing into action.

    “We are pleading with Mr President to set up a special anti-corruption court; there is no gainsaying, we are fighting corruption and people found guilty keep on appealing,’’ he said.

    Obasi said that Nigerian students were the most marginalised group in Nigeria and appealed to the president to subsidise education.

    According to the NANS president, when a Nigerian child is trained, the nation is trained.

    He said it was wrong to leave the responsibility of training a Nigerian child to the parents because untrained children were tools for militancy and insurgency.

    Earlier in a special prayer for Buhari, Pastor Faith Vedelago thanked God for restoring the president’s health and bringing him back to Nigeria.

    She commended NANS for making out time to fast and pray for the president.

    “I will advise the president to also be prayerful; I believe that God will give him the wisdom to lead the nation well.

    “God said we should pray for our leaders and that is what we are doing; I believe that God will give him the grace to lead.

    “God has never forsaken Nigeria and I know he will not forsake us this time around,’’ she said.

    She said that if the citizens played their roles with commitment, things would be easy for the leaders.

     

  • Xenophobia: Students give DSTv, MTN 48hours to leave Nigeria

    Xenophobia: Students give DSTv, MTN 48hours to leave Nigeria

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Thursday in Abuja staged a peaceful protest against renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

    The students, led by their President, Mr Aruna Kadiri, while addressing newsmen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, urged the government to take concrete action to protect Nigerians in South Africa.

    The students also demanded that Nigeria should severe ties with South Africa over the incessant attacks of its citizens in that country.

    “We are demanding that they should break the ties between both countries if there’s any because the xenophobic attacks that had happened long time ago has come again.

    “We have decided to clear the madness with madness,” he said.

    He said they had burnt the South African flag at the High Commission to pass a message that “we don’t have a relationship with them any longer”.

    The protesting students, who issued a 48-hour ultimatum to South African nationals to leave Nigeria, said they were earlier at MTN office in Maitama and Multi-Choice in the Central Business District of Abuja to express their grievances.

    They also urged the High Commission officials to cancel the dinner organised in honour of Regina Tambo, the co-founder of ANC Youth League.

    Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Clement Aduku, who addressed the protesting students, appealed for calmness, saying the federal government is constructively engaging the South African government over the issue.

    Aduku also assured that all diplomatic means would be explored to stop the killings of Nigerian nationals in South Africa.

  • Students back Buhari’s anti-graft war

    Students back Buhari’s anti-graft war

    …To take anti-corruption campaign to campuses

    Members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have thrown their weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s ongoing anti-corruption war.

    The group disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday by its acting President/National Convention Chairman, Prince Miaphen.

    The students also supported the administration’s move to recover all funds stolen by corrupt former public officials and civil servants.

    Noting that corruption had for long remained the bane of Nigeria’s development, they said that corruption breeds nepotism, incompetence, and apathy.

    The group urged the President not to relent in the war despite criticism from some quarters.

    It read: “We strongly commend the zest and diligence of the Buhari administration in the war against corruption as it has made it resoundingly clear that indeed a new no-nonsense sheriff is in town and there is no hiding place for any former or present corrupt official.

    “It further makes bare that President Buhari is a man that matches his words with commensurate action because the anti-corruption crusade was a cardinal part of his presidential campaign manifesto.

    “We are fully aware that some trepid and disgruntled corrupt individuals and organisations are stopping at nothing to discredit and sabotage the ongoing war against corruption.

    “Some say it is selective, claiming it is targeted at decimating the opposition. However, we are yet to see a single individual or organisation that is standing trial or being investigated for corruption under the current administration that has not had his/it’s fingers tainted with corruption.” It added

    The group said it would partner with Buhari by taking the anti-corruption war to campuses.

    “We intend to partner with Mr. President by taking the anti-corruption war to the campuses.

    “The quest to revamp our educational sector must also integrate the need to stamp corruption out of the corridors of our Ivory Towers which has frustrated all efforts to bring our academic institutions to competitive standards,” it stated.

  • The Other Side of SUG

    The Other Side of SUG

    Last weekend, about twenty students’ union leaders under the aegis of Council of South-East SUG Presidents were at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State to confer the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba with “2016 South-East VC of the Year Award,” as way of fostering good management in Nigerian higher institutions. JAMES OJO, CHERECHUKWU OKOYE (300-Level Mass communication) and Temitope Adigun (200-Level Mass communication) report.

    To many, students’ unionism in Nigeria signalled a chaotic body, often threatening the peace and stability in higher institutions. But, last week Friday, the Council of South-East SUG Presidents’ took an exception.

    They aptly proved that they are also a major stakeholder in promoting good management, peace and stability required for the growth of higher institutions in Nigeria.

    About twenty of them had gathered at the VC’s conference room to honour him as the 2016 South-East Vice-Chancellor of the year award. He was also awarded SUG, South-East Patron.

    The award was an initiative of the Council of Presidents’, south-east zone to appreciate Vice-Chancellor’s who had made meaningful contributions to their various institutions.

    Presenting the award to the VC, the Council’s Chairman, Comrade Chidi Ilogebe said, Prof. Ozumba was voted for the award due to his impacts within and outside UNN since he assumed office.

    Chidi, who is also the SUG President, University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) said, in Ozumba’s two years in office, he has achieved remarkable feats in promoting peace in the country, infrastructure, research and ICT developments in the institution as well as supporting the development of the student body, hence the need for the award.

    He said the election for the award took place at the council’s meeting held in February, which saw twenty-five out of the thirty-five union voted unanimously for the VC.

    He said the Council nominated different VCs’ different higher institutions but Prof. Ozumba has the highest votes.

    He added that the criteria used for the award include: external and internal impacts of the various VC’s in their respective institutions as well as their duration in office.

    His words: “We all know that SUG is meant to champion the welfare of students’ in our various tertiary institutions and also to fight any administration that is against the interest of the students.

    “But this time around, the council has decided to award any administration have done very well within and outside their schools.”

    Receiving the award, the Ozumba said he was amazed by the students’ council decision. He described the award the “most treasured in his career,” adding that it would inspire him to do more. He expressed gratitude for their gestures and assured them of his commitment to enhance the development of student unionism in the institution and in the entire south-east zone.

    The VC also reiterated his administration’s commitment to reposition UNN in Nigerian Universities’ rankings, adding that he would also enhance research development and foster entrepreneurial skills among students of the institution to enable them become globally employed.

    Afterwards, the VC and members of the council deliberated on how to develop students’ unionism in their respective institutions. Most of union leaders who spoke CAMPUSLIFE gathered enjoined the body in the zone and other zones in the country to always sue for peace using diplomatic approaches. They argued that the use of violence is capable of destabilising the country’s educational system.

    Speaking on this, the host SUG President, Comrade Peter Orji in an interview with CAMPUSLIFE, said “I don’t think there is any administration will have interest in victimising its students. It is high time our union leaders do away with violence and avoid their usual confrontational approach to matters.”

    Peter, who described the event as a success however enjoined students’ leaders to “apply wisdom in handling issues.”

    “I feel honoured gracing this event. This is the first time such is happening and I am happy it happened during my tenure as the host SUG President. I think this award will motivate other Vice-Chancellors’ in the south-east and the country to perform better.” He said
    The SUG presidents in attendance are, Com. Ilogebe Chidi, President SUG UNEC (chairman of the Council of SUG south-south-east); Com. Orji Peter Ekene, President SUG UNN; Com. Obi Uche Jude; Com. Onuzulike Victory Chukwubike, President SUG Imo State Polytechnic (IMOPOLY); Edeoga Patricia, President Federal College of Education Chaamutu; Ignatius Amaechi Okoro, President School of Health Ogi River State; Nwanna Chukwu, President SUG Imo State University (IMSU); Amanoh Chinoso Fredrick, President SUG Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT); Princess Chukwuemeka, President SUG Abia State University (ABSU), Nwafor Joshua, President SUG Ebonyi State University (EBSU); Ezeme Jude Thaddeus, President SUG Peace Land College of Education; Offor Chinonso .C., President Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU); Victor C. Ezenagu, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone B PRO amongst others.