NANS (National Association of Nigerian Students) has disowned its South-West Coordinator – Mr. Sunday Ashefon over a statement made by him and published in national dailies giving the Akwa Ibom State Governor His Excellency Dr. Godswill Akpabio 14 days to find Prof. James Olomo, a lecturer of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife purportedly kidnapped in Akwa Ibom State on October 17, 2013 or face what he described as serious actions by Nigerian Students.
In a strongly worded statement by the Vice President Special Duties of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Comrade Ubon Marcus, the association distanced itself from the said publication stating that the statement does not in anyway represent the official position of NANS but that of Sunday Ashefon describing him as a silly attention seeker who feels he can make Gov. Akpabio notice him through cheap blackmail and propaganda.
Comrade Marcus explained that as Chief Security Officer of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Akpabio has provided security agencies in the state with resources to tackle crime and even established special security teams such as “Operation Thunder” and “Quick Response Squad” to further rid the state of criminal elements and wondered why Ashefon should attempt to insult Gov. Akpabio over the alleged kidnap of a man who is said to have come to Akwa Ibom for private concerns which the Governor is unaware of.
He further stated that to the best of his knowledge, security agencies in the state have been performing its duties and called on the public to approach such agencies whenever security issues arise.
While sympathizing with the family of Prof. James Olomo over the unfortunate incident, the NANS VP warned Sunday Ashefon to desist from making unguarded statements and apologize to Nigerian Students immediately for using its much respected platform to peddle blackmail and propaganda rather than projecting the legitimate interests of students.
Comrade Marcus urged the NANS South-West Coordinator whom he described as a fresh Comrade who recently assumed the office to focus on the tenets of the struggle rather than attacking elder statesmen like Gov. Akpabio who has done a lot to sustain the struggle citing the hosting of the last NANS National Convention in Uyo by Governor Akpabio as the greatest support any Governor has given to NANS of which all students should be grateful for.
He emphasized that Gov. Akpabio holds education in high esteem as shown by his free and Compulsory education policy and provision of educational infrastructure across the state even to University of Uyo which is a federal institution.
He noted that Gov. Akpabio’s timely intervention in the Uniuyo crisis stopped the crisis from aggravating and provided an enabling platform for the return of peace to the Tusker’s Republic.
To the NANS Vice President therefore, a man who has done a lot for education does not deserve the insult by Sunday Ashefon.
Comrade Ubon Marcus therefore apologised to Governor. Akpabio and urged him to continue in his good works to the people.