NANS Convention: Between Fact and Fictions

First and foremost, I am really pained that over the years some stakeholders (none Students) has taken it upon themselves to always choose/select the leadership of NANS to the real Nigerian Students.

For the avoidance of doubt, before the convention proper, some of the member of the Convention were bribed and they sent their thugs after Obande Gideon, as I write, Obande has sustained injury on his face for being a top contender's as at that time.

It is very worrisome that the election that was to be conducted on Saturday 7th July, 2018 but some of the already compromised Convention members delayed it until Tuesday 10th July, 2018, some of the real Presidents of the Students Unions that were to vote Obande Gideon as President of NANS went back to School.

This time around during the last convention, Obande Gideon dared them and pulled out of the convention where the legitimate Senators (SUG Presidents) found him worthy and elected him as the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

Be as it may, Obande Gideon was left at the mercy of the 'compromised Members of the Convention' that are not even Students of any higher institutions in Nigeria.

Therefore, they accredited 272 delegates for voting, after the election the votes turned itself to 275. Where did the additional 3 votes came from? In fact, some of the people accredited are not worthy to be called Student based on the fact that they were thugs imported to rigged election.

As Nigerian Students were shouting after the sorting of the total votes "we no go free and ole" then, Obande Gideon pulled out of the election where the legitimate Students voted him in as the newly elected NANS National President from Nasarawa State University Keffi.

It is very unfortunate that there were a lot of electoral frauds and irregularities on the just concluded convention, Obande Gideon has no any other option than to pulled out of the Convention because there is no provision for taking any issues to the Court of competent jurisdiction by the aggrieved parties based on the fact that NANS is not a registered organization with Corporate affairs Commission (CAC). It is just a pressure group that can not sue and be sued.

The outgoing Senate President of NANS, Comrade Bamigbade Taiwo from Federal University of Technology, Akure that knows what's called free, fair and credible election equally pulled out of the Convention and organized a fresh election where Obande Gideon emerges as NANS President.

We are aware that the stakeholders will never allow NANS to have just one President because of their selfish interest that's why they declared one Danielson Bamidele as their President. The Students community has spoken in a single voice that their President is Obande Gideon, GCNS and nothing will change it.

Congratulations Obande Gideon, GCNS and all the lovers of Democracy.

Ibrahim Kabiru Dallah
Convention Planning Committee Secretary, NANS 2018