…ALLEGES GOV. UDOM OF PROCURING ENDORSEMENTS WITH N100 MILLION.
The apex association of the student body in Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has promised a pitfall as they threatened to closedown government activities in the Akwa-Ibom State in no distant future.
Mr. Danielson Akpan,the NANS President, in Abuja on Saturday, through a signed epithet statement, said Governor Gabriel Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state should stop affronting the senses of Akwa Ibom students.
NANS accuses the governor of attempting to procure students endorsement with N100 million in the last two months, through Mr. Aquila Otobong, his S.A on Students Matters.
The statement partly read, “The attention of the leadership of NANS has been drawn to the purported student’s endorsement rally organised by the SA on Students Matters to Gov. Udom in connivance with some cult leaders in Akwa-Ibom State.
“It is no more a news that Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel out of desperation has twice in the last two months attempted to procure students endorsement with almost N100 million through his SA on Student Matters
“These cultists claimed to be students without any notable students’ leader leading any known students’ structure either in Akwa-Ibom State or Nigeria at large.
“The first attempt was during the International Students Day Celebration in November 2018. The event was a flop as over N30 million was given through the SA Student Matters, but it was diverted into private pocket of the official and her cronies.
“Again, on January 10, 2019, about N40 million was doled out by Gov. Udom through Aquila Otobong for a solidarity walk, it was diverted leading to disruption of public peace and destruction of properties in the state for several hours before the police command was able to restore normalcy.”
The apex student body NANS further alleged that since the governor assumed office in 2015, no student of Akwa-Ibom origin had been granted scholarship neither had any student been paid bursary.
“Is it not ridiculous that a governor, who claimed to have sacked 5,000 recruited Secondary School teachers that would have boosted education development of the state due to paucity of funds, can now dole out millions of naira monthly to procure imaginary endorsement from students?
“It is ungodly for Gov. Udom to claim that gratuities, imprests, leave bonuses and pension arrears were jettisoned based on excuses of paucity of funds, can now turn around to spend millions of naira in purchasing the support of these important citizens he brazenly abandoned since assumption of office.’’
Mr Danielson Akpan emphasized that prior to the Mr Emmanuel Udom led administration, Akwa Ibom indigenous students enjoyed constant bursary payment, regular scholarship and reasonable allowances for Medical and Law students.
Mr. Danielson Akpan added that during successive administrations of the state, all tertiary institutions in the state were well funded, infrastructural development of campuses was a topmost priority and workers’ welfare was paramount.
“Consequent upon these misdirected priorities, we wish to demand that the governor should tender an unreserved apology to the people of Akwa-Ibom state and Nigerian students for his administrative ineptitude,
“This, hitherto, has jeopardized the academic future of all indigent Akwa-Ibom students on the altar of self-aggrandisement.
“Also, we demand that all outstanding bursary entitlements of students of Akwa-Ibom State origin be paid in seven days from the date of this release.
“That Aquila Otobong and her cohorts should tender their unreserved apology in written to both the leadership of NANS and National Association of Akwa Ibom Students.
“This apology should be published same on national dailies for the grand deception and impersonation of Akwa-Ibom Students, which her fraudulent actions has brought on Akwa-Ibomites.’’
The apex student body also extends their demands requesting that the governor should pay the entitlements of workers which include pension arrears, leave bonuses, gratuities without further excuses.
NANS further demanded the governor to publish the debt profile, Federal Government monthly allocation and Internally Generated Revenue of the state as part of rendering an account of stewardship to the people.
“Finally, this medium serves as a notification to the government of Akwa-Ibom State that failure to comply with the above demands will automatically engineer a massive shut-down of government activities by Nigerian students.” Mr. Akpan
