The National Association of
Nigeria Students, NANS, has accused the Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi
Akeredolu of walking them out of his office during a meeting on issues relating
to the purported exorbitant tuition of the state-owned institutions.
The students’ leaders described
the purported attitude as arrogant, which they likened to that of Pharaoh and
Adolf Hitler.
Recall that Adekunle Ajasin
University, Akungba-Akoko and Ondo State University of Science and Technology,
OSUSTECH were closed by their management after students of the institutions
protested the “No Fee, No Test” policy as well as the exorbitant tuition of the
institutions ranging between N150, 000 and over N200, 000.
According to the NANS National
President, Comrade Danielson Bamidel Akpan who led his executives to the state
narrated his ordeal with the governor as he alleged that Akeredolu threatened
to “flush” them out, as well as vowed to indefinitely close the affected
schools if they dare protest in the state.
“After meeting with the governor
on the need to address the issue, he displayed the highest level of arrogance
by telling us to go to hell, that his decision is final and that he is not
going to reduce the school fees. He said whoever cannot pay should go to hell
that schooling is not by force. And this is somebody who benefitted from free
education.
“The governor threatened us that
he is ready to order the security men to flush us out if we dare protest.
Whereas peaceful protest is our right. It’s the last resort in negotiations.
The NANS President added that,
“we saw arrogance at its peak in Gov. Akeredolu when we met with him. It looks
as if I was sitting with Adolf Hitler. It seems as if I was sitting in the
presence of Pharaoh. Even when we met with President Buhari, he did not address
us in such manner. But it is surprising that a governor whose power is limited
within a state could put up that show of arrogance.
“Two years is too long to chase
him, it is now upon us, parents, students, artisans and entire people of Ondo
State to stop this tyranny,” the NANS President stated.
However, students’ leaders in
Ondo state have rebutted the claims that the Ondo state Governor, Arakunrin
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu threatened to close down tertiary institutions in the
state.
The student leaders under the
auspices of National Association of Ondo State Students, NAOSS refuted the
allegation by the NANS President and his team that they were chased out of the
governor’s office.
According to the NAOSS National
President, Comrade Emmanuel Akeredolu alleged that the NANS delegates were
politically sponsored to disrupt the peaceful dialogue process between the
leadership of students in the state and the state government to review the
tuition fees.
His words, “we have earlier
obtained information that the NANS national delegates will be in the state for
an assignment and the job is to aggravate the dialogue process and consequently
cause unrest in the state.
“The NANS president, Comr.
Danielson Bamidele Akpan claimed that he has not been enjoying the patronage of
the Ondo state government and was, therefore, ready to jeopardize the efforts
of student leaders in the state.”
“We, therefore, admonish and
implore all students and the general public to shun any act of violence as
plans are already established towards looking into the crisis rocking our
institutions,” he stated.
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