NANS denies Seyi Tinubu’s alleged interference in leadership transition process

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has denied the alleged interference of Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, in the leadership transition process of the association.

NANS described the allegation as a deliberate attempt to sow discord, malign personalities, and undermine the credibility of the association.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by NANS Senate President, Afeez Akinteye, he reiterated that NANS operates on the pillars of transparency, equity, and accountability.

NANS, in the statement, advised aspirants and stakeholders to view the forthcoming leadership transition as a call to service, not an arena for personal or ethnic aggrandizement.

“The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) categorically repudiates the spurious and unsubstantiated claims made by an individual regarding an alleged meeting convened by Mr. Seyi Tinubu to manipulate the forthcoming NANS leadership transition. These allegations, lacking any empirical evidence, are a deliberate attempt to sow discord, malign personalities, and undermine the credibility of our esteemed association.

“As a robust, autonomous, and democratic student body, NANS operates on the pillars of transparency, equity, and accountability. The Constitution of NANS unequivocally provides a framework for the conduct of elections, which is dutifully implemented by the Independent NANS Convention Planning Committee (INANS-CPC). The INANS-CPC is an independent body charged with upholding the sanctity of the electoral process, ensuring that only qualified and eligible candidates participate. It is inconceivable for any external entity, no matter how influential, to subvert this process or impose candidates on the association.

ALSO READ: Food security: FG to begin massive distribution of stored equipment, inputs

“The baseless insinuations about ethnic favoritism and the purported ‘Yorubanisation’ of the leadership are not only divisive but also antithetical to the ideals of unity and inclusiveness that NANS represents. It is a gross disservice to the millions of Nigerian students we represent to spread such inflammatory rhetoric, particularly when the mechanisms for addressing grievances and verifying claims exist within the association.

“The Senate Secretariat wishes to remind all aspirants and stakeholders that the forthcoming leadership transition is a call to service, not an arena for personal or ethnic aggrandizement. Instead of engaging in unfounded propaganda, it is essential for all aspirants to focus on articulating their manifestos, engaging with students, Senators, and stakeholders, and demonstrating their readiness to champion the collective interests of Nigerian students.

“The NANS Constitution clearly enshrines the principles of geopolitical zoning, fairness, and meritocracy. Any aspirant found to be ineligible or in contravention of the rules will be duly disqualified by the INANS-CPC, which remains resolute in its mandate to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.

“We wish to reiterate that the autonomy of NANS is non-negotiable, and no individual or group, regardless of stature or affiliation, can override the collective will of Nigerian students. To this end, we urge Comrade Batuta and other aspirants to refrain from propagating unverified claims that could jeopardize the cohesion and integrity of our association.

“NANS remains a beacon of hope, a symbol of unity, and a vanguard for the interests of Nigerian students. We are resolute in our commitment to upholding these ideals and will not be deterred by distractions or attempts to discredit our processes,” the statement reads.