“The National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students’ (NANS) came to Ondo state with his executives for personal gratification and not to defend interest of students”, the Special Assistant to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Youth and Students Affairs, Banji Adewumi has revealed.
Adewumi stated this while recounting what transpired during Monday’s meeting between the Governor and leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS).
NANS president , Comrade Danielson Bamidele Akpan had on Tuesday alleged Governor Akeredolu of destroying the education sector in the state with his obnoxious policies.
Bamidele accused the Governor of allegedly walking out on them during the meeting meant to resolve issues relating to tuition fees in the state-owned tertiary institutions.
Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba Akoko (AAUA ) and the Ondo state university of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH ) Okitipupa had been shut following protests embarked upon by the students on the hike in tuition fee.
In AAUA, students protested against the enforcement of ‘No School Fees, No Test/Examination policy introduced by the management.
But, Adewumi while speaking with journalists at the NUJ Press Centre, Alagbaka-Akure on Friday, denied all allegations against the Governor by NANS president, describing it as a calculated attempt to misinform the public.
The Governor’s aide, who revealed he was part of the monday’s meeting said the students leader asked personal gratification from the Governor rather than discussing issues pertaining to students in the state.
Adewumi added that the NANS president threatened to make the state ungovernable for the governor if he failed to accede to his demands.
He said “Several times during the meeting, even as the governor would be talking , Akpan would interrupt and insist that he be allowed to speak. Then, he threatened that he would make the state ungovernable for the governor with protests.
“At that stage, the Governor said it was the right of the students to stage protest to press home their demands but advised that such protest should be organized peacefully without destruction of both private and public property”.
“The NANS president would not allow the Governor to talk as he continued to speak and shout obscenities and threats of war, all these happened right inside the office of the Governor”.
“He urged the governor to come downstairs to see the bus he came with, which he said was given to him by the Abia State Governor. He boasted about how many governors have received him with gifts”.
The S.A disclosed that Governor Akeredolu had directed institution’s management to allow all students participate in continuous assessment and the examination with or without payment of the school fees.
While pointing it out that the decision to increase the school fees was solely that of the institution, Adewumi assured that the state government would soon find a lasting solution to the issue.
“The governor listened to their requests and took his time to explain the situation. He explained that the decision to increase the fees was solely that of the institution but that as a father ,he had intervened and directed that all the students should be allowed to write tests and examinations,” Adewumi said.
