The National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Danielson Bamidele Akpan has explained why he shunned students’ protest that was staged yesterday to visit the Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu.
It was reported that the National Association of University Students (NAUS), National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), and National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education (NANCES), yesterday held a nationwide protest at the Ministry of Education and the Unity Fountains in Abuja to demand the immediate reopening of campus across Nigeria.
According to the aggrieved students, the continued closure of schools further reiterates the insensitivity of the leadership to education and the plight of students in the country.
Meanwhile, while the students were protesting, the National NANS President was reportedly to have shunned the protest and visited the Ondo Governor.
While explaining why he didn’t join the protest on a phone interview with our correspondent on Thursday morning, he said, ” How can I join them protesting? Am I NAUS President? If I want to organise a protest, I will bring across students from polytechnics, universities and colleges of education. As a student leader, you won’t join protest, you will only convene protest.”
When asked why he visited the Ondo Governor, the NANS National President disclosed that, ” Myself and NANS members went to visit the Governor on a facility tour and students matters.
“We went to Ondo state on a working visit and we visited the campuses to see project executed by the Governor. In the process, I mounted a tractor to inspect the Government projects.
” The essence of what we are doing is to achieve result. As at yesterday, the Governor approved the reduction of all Tertiary institutions owned by the state. He has also pronounced government jobs for more than six former student leaders in the state.
Speaking on the agitations of students on reopening of schools, he said: ” And what exactly are they protesting over? Resumption? What are the modalities in place for schools reopening? Is it got schools to resume and we have spreading of coronavirus? This is not politics. This is life.
“If you go to the airport, you will see what the government has done. But when it comes for students, you can not maintain social distance among them. If one person gets contacted, you will see how it can easily spread.
” When it comes to tertiary institutions, you have at least 100-500 students in a class. Who is going to effect social distance?
“NANS has been the most difficult organization to govern because we have many intellectuals. They criticise every step you take. I am always on the road and we don’t get salary. Our struggle is to ensure students emancipation. Thank you.”
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