Allegations that Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, met in secret to influence the association’s leadership change have been refuted by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). The NANS Senate President, Akinteye Babatunde, characterised the accusations made by Comrade Jubril Batuta as baseless and intended to sow strife and damage the association’s standing. NANS reiterated its independence and dedication to democratic ideals, stressing that accountability, justice, and openness will guide its leadership transition.
Also, the Independent NANS Convention Planning Committee (INANS-CPC), an unbiased organisation that guarantees rule compliance and disqualifies unfit candidates, is in charge of overseeing the election process. As polarising and in odds with the association’s ideals of inclusivity and unity, claims of ethnic favouritism and “Yorubanization” of the procedure were also rejected. In contrast to disseminating unsupported propaganda, Babatunde asked stakeholders to concentrate on delivering their manifestos and interacting with students. He reaffirmed that NANS functions autonomously and that no outside force, no matter how powerful, can compromise the association’s procedures.
The constitution of NANS regulates leadership changes.
Nigerian students are represented both domestically and abroad by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which was first founded in 1956 as the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS). When it comes to tackling Nigeria’s educational issues and fighting for students’ rights, NANS has been essential. The constitution of NANS regulates leadership changes and stipulates that yearly elections must be held to guarantee democratic representation. The Convention Planning Committee (CPC), an independent organisation in charge of planning and running elections, is in charge of overseeing the procedure. For example, during the 2024 NANS Lagos Pre-convention, the CPC was formed with representatives from a range of institutions, with a focus on openness and inclusivity.
Distinguished leaders, such as Comrade Owolewa Taiwo, Southwest Coordinator of NANS Zone D, attended the ceremony, demonstrating the association’s dedication to a just transition process. Over the years, NANS has experienced accusations and internal difficulties in spite of its core beliefs. A leadership issue arose in 2020, and former NANS presidents stepped in to support Comrade Danielson Akpan’s leadership and advocate for internal conflict resolution to preserve organisational cohesion. They promoted a single convention to choose new leadership, stressing that the CPC established by the departing leadership was legitimate and accepted.
Interests of Nigerian students are fully represented in NANS framework.
On another occasion, the association’s leaders were accused of Corruption and nepotism. In a case involving claims of malpractice against the Director-General of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), for instance, NANS investigated the matter and exonerated the person, proving its dedication to integrity and due process. Comrade Jubril Batuta recently accused President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, of manipulating the upcoming NANS leadership transition by calling a secret meeting. “This interference undermined the autonomy of the association by trying to impose certain candidates,” he said.
Concerns regarding ethnic favouritism and the “Yorubanization” of the leadership process were among Batuta’s claims, which implied a departure from NANS’ principles of inclusivity and unity. The Senate, which is the highest decision-making body in NANS, the Executive Council, which is in charge of day-to-day operations, and other committees that deal with certain concerns make up the organization’s organised framework. The interests of Nigerian students are fully represented thanks to this framework. NANS has been a crucial voice in national discourse, promoting educational reforms, and fighting for the Welfare of students over the years.
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Even though NANS has a long history of advocacy and representation, the association still faces internal and external challenges, such as leadership tussles and accusations of external interference. The dedication of the association to transparency and democratic principles is demonstrated by its organised leadership transition processes and responses to allegations. More so, the ability of NANS to effectively fulfil its mandate depends on its ability to resolve internal conflicts amicably and maintain independence from outside influences.