NANS HOLDS CONVENTION; ELECTS NEW LEADERS

In the 3-day journey to the Collage of Education (COE) Akampka, Cross River State, the students from tertiary institutions in the South East and South-South Geopolitical zones in Nigeria, which make up the Zone B branch of NANS came together to reason on new strategies to adopt in leadership order than crisis and victimization. The students, who came with their school buses, gathered in the COE for the annual convention, under the leadership of Comr. Chinomso Obasi who is NANS Zone B Coordinator.

The convention started with a brief remark by the Coordinator. In his address, Comr. Obasi welcomed the students for making out time and sacrificing so much to honour the call of NANS. He noted that the struggle of student unionism is not for gains but for sacrifice and show of patriotism.

He pointed out some of his achievements for the past one year to include the establishment of Student Union in most schools whose Student Unions may have been proscribed by the management due to one issue or the other. Citing the case of University of Nigeria Nsuka, Fededral Collage of Agriculture Isiagu, Comr. Obasi said the restoration of Student Unions has been one of the major targets he had. “We made sure that in our administration, we succeeded in establishing duly elected governments for the SUs in the Zone. Some of the schools were operating with care taker committees while some had no student government at all. But when we made moves, we caused the managements see the need to give the students the chance to have their own government.

He also stated the some student leaders who had been frustrated by their school managements got freedom in his administration. “I tried to make sure we resolve the issues pending the graduation of some student leaders whose results have been held due to their active roles in unionism and confrontations with the managements.”

Citing schools like Petroleum Training Institute Efuru, Ebonyi State University and Delta State University, he said “we recommended to their school managements to provide vehicles for the SUs to ensure mobility of their executives and we are happy that the school management listened to us there is harmony in these campuses.

He concluded by challenging the students of the Zone to extend same gesture and support to the new executives who were elected.

Talking about the election, Comr. Obasi promised that he will ensure a free and fair election for the Zone as a way of laying positive precedents for his successors. He warned against impersonation as anyone caught in the act will be handed over to security officials.

The Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on Students and youth Affairs, Comr. Jude Imagwe MON was called up to make his remark. With that, he thanked the students of the Zone for maintaining decorum and peace in Zonal politics. He expressed the readiness of the Federal Government towards ensuring that the students achieve their best in everything they do. He said: “the Federal Government led by Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is ready and committed at ensuring that the students come out of school being the best in their fields and disciplines.

He noted that his office is free and open for complains from students. He said, “Feel free and tell us your problems. For those ladies that are sexually harassed by their lectures, feel free and let us know. If you are been victimized by your lecturers, feel free and communicate to us and we will always listen. We run an open government and His Excellency is passionate about your success that is why he has created this office to give you a sense of belonging”, he concluded.

The NANS Zone B took a general consensus that Mr. President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should re-contest in 2015 as the Nigerian President. Comr. Obasi who led the resolution said: “we the entire students of NANS Zone B, in one voice stand to move a motion that our son, brother, uncle, father, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan should come back and contest for second tenure as the Nigerian President. Those in support of the motion say ayes! The ayes have it”

After presenting the State of the Union address, Comr. Obasi went further to call for nominations for the office of the Convention Chairman who shall be in charge of the election. Comr. Kadiri Aruna was nominated and seconded by the Senators who were the SU Presidents from the schools in the Zone. Comr. Aruna has been an Acting Coordinator and one time Coordinator of NANS Zone B. He appointed some persons to work with him. Comr. Nwankwo Ezikiel served as the Convention Clerk, Paul Igbiniere, Chairman Communiqué Drafting Committee.

The election commenced proper when the Comr. Aruna led committee dissolved the Zonal executive members and all the standing committees.

During the election, the voters were made up of Senators who cast votes on behalf of their campuses.

The Executive Council is made up of 11 offices. Comr. Ikechukwu Okorie emerged as the Cordinator, Ekutu Richard as the Deputy Coordinator, Okafor Chuks as the Secretary, Eze Paul as Director of Sports, Pedro Chibuzo as Public Relations Officer, Victor Ezenagu as Director of Action and Mobillization, Enadamen Aliyu as Director of External Affairs, Aniefiok Inyang as Director of Special Duties, Okwusi Rodney as Treasurer, Mercy Ogar as Financial Secretary, and Lah Amabu Ledogoh as Assistant Secretary General.

In a chat with Campuslife, the NANS Zone B Coordinator-elect expressed appreciation to God for his emergence. Comr. Okorie thanked the Students of the Zone for counting him worthy to serve them. “I lack words to express my thanks. I don’t know what to say but I am most grateful to God and to the Senators for electing me to serve at this capacity. I will always be there to serve Nigeria students and I will work with everybody to make sure that the goal of unionism is kept alive in the Zone”, he concluded.