0Student leaders under the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Ogun State have dismissed claims of a purported suspension or removal of executives of the Joint Campus Committee (JCC), describing the development as false and a deliberate attempt to destabilise the student body.
In an open letter addressed to the National President of NANS, Olushola Oladoja, the Students’ Union Government (SUG) Presidents in the Ogun State axis said there was no valid Senate sitting where such a decision was reached.
The student leaders alleged that the controversy was being fuelled by “unscrupulous elements” seeking to create an artificial crisis within the association. They insisted that any statement claiming the suspension of JCC executives did not reflect the constitutional position of NANS.
The letter was jointly signed by SUG Presidents in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye; Federal College of Education, Abeokuta; D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori; Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijebu-Ode; Ogun State Polytechnic of Health and Allied Sciences (OSPOHAS), Ilese-Ijebu; Federal Polytechnic Ilaro (now Federal University of Technology, Ilaro); Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo as well as Gateway ICT Polytechnic Saapade, Saapade.
According to the signatories, the statement attributed to some senators contained names of institutions not recognised within the NANS structure, noting that some listed schools lack accredited status or legitimate SUG representation. They said this raised questions about the authenticity of the document and the motives behind it.
The student leaders reaffirmed the legitimacy of the current JCC Chairman, stating that he was duly accredited at both the NANS National Convention and the Zone D South-West Convention. They maintained that his emergence followed due constitutional processes and reflected broad acceptance among stakeholders.
They also dismissed claims questioning the Chairman’s student status, clarifying that he is a full-time conversion student affiliated with the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, and not a part-time student as alleged.
The SUG Presidents expressed concern that the ongoing controversy has heightened tension among student leaders and even drawn the attention of security agencies in the state. They warned that such developments could undermine the credibility of NANS if not properly addressed.
Citing provisions of the NANS constitution, the student leaders argued that the Senate lacks the authority to remove an officer on the grounds of eligibility, noting that such powers are limited to cases involving negligence, embezzlement, or misappropriation of funds.
They called on the NANS National President to intervene by engaging the Senate leadership to investigate the matter and restore order. They also urged him to publicly clarify that the alleged directive does not represent the official position of the national body.
Furthermore, the group appealed for support to conclude the ongoing transition process in Ogun State, including the activities of the Independent Convention Planning Committee (I-CPC), which they said had already been constituted following a successful pre-convention.
The SUG Presidents reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, unity, and constitutional order within the Ogun State axis of NANS, urging stakeholders and the public to disregard what they described as misleading narratives.
They expressed confidence in the leadership of the national body to resolve the dispute and ensure that due process prevails in the affairs of the association.
“We respectfully urge the National President to use his good office to liaise with the NANS Senate President to thoroughly investigate the matter and revisit his position, in order to restore clarity, peace, and constitutional order within NANS Ogun State Axis.
“We urge the National President to publicly clarify that the said position is not the official verdict of NANS National, so as to clear the air and prevent further tension and misinformation within the student community and among security agencies.
“We request the necessary support and institutional backing to peacefully conclude the NANS Ogun State Axis transition process already in the pipeline, especially now that the Pre-Convention has been successfully held and the I-CPC Committee has been constituted and announced.
“We appeal that the I-CPC Committee be given every necessary support to conduct a peaceful, credible, transparent, and inclusive convention that reflects the collective interest and democratic will of all Nigerian students in Ogun State,” they stated.
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