ASUU strike: NANS exco splits, disowns president

ABUJA—Executive members of the
National Association of Nigerian Students,
NANS, have disowned the national
president, Mr. Yinka Gbadebo, on his
support for the Federal Government in
the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff
Union of Universities, ASUU.
Some members of the executive told
newsmen, yesterday, that students were
largely unbiased in the crisis and the
inclination of Mr. Gbadebo to support
the government was a deviation from the
students’ collective goal of resolving the
crisis.
The executive members who included
national assistant secretary general, Ali
Mohammed , the national sports
director, Talib Abubakar Gumel, director
of travels and exchange, Olusegun
Oyebisi, said there was no consultation
on the issues before Gbadebo declared
NANS support for the Federal
Government.
The students also dissociated NANS as a
body from the ongoing face off between
officials of the Federal Government and
the Rivers State government saying that
their president did not have any right to
speak on the issue.
“The national president did not have our
mandate to support the federal
government over the strike as we are a
neutral body. We do not support either
the federal government or ASUU because
it is the students that bear the brunt of
the strike,” Ali who spoke on behalf of his
colleagues said yesterday.
“We call on ASUU and the Federal
Government to resolve the issue within
seven days so that the students can
return to their campuses.”
“We do not understand why the national
president should support the federal
government or what concerns students
with what is happening between the
Rivers State governor and the President.
The matter is between the two of them it
doesn't concern the students.”