Executive members of the National Association of Nigerian Students have passed a vote of confidence on its President, Bamidele Akpan, maintaining that he has done well so far in office.
Ojo Raymond, NANS Vice President, External Affairs disclosed this at a Press conference in Abuja on Tuesday after an expanded exco meeting of the association endorsed the transition process empanelled by him and urge him to stay focused on relieving leadership as planned by the CPC to a united Zone D of NANS, whom the Presidency is due in December.
Raymond berated the embattled Senate President of the association, Abubakar Gambo for singlehanded appointing a government appointee against the spirits and letters of the NANS Constitution as acting President.
He maintained that Chidi Ilogebe remains suspended due to his appointment as government official, an act the constitution of NANS frowns at.
The statement in full;
In the last few days, the media has been erroneously fed with malicious news of the purported impeachment of the Global President of NANS Comrade Danielson Akpan, GCNS.
According to reports flying in the news media and on social media platforms, the malicious action was carried out by the expelled Senate President whose last constitutional duty ended since March, 2020 after convening the Pre-convention Senate meeting.
Whereas, Article 12a subsection 2 of the NANS constitution states: “All members of NANS Executive Council as provided in Article 19, who shall be ex-officio members without voting rights” conferred automatic membership of the Senate on the executives. An arm that was completely ignored in the illegality.
Having exhausted all constitutional powers after the Pre-convention senate which held at Enugu in March, 2020, the desperate conveyance of a Zoom Senate meeting by Abubakar Gambo is obviously an attempt at tarnishing the image of the global President who has since set up a transition program for exit of the outgoing executives including the principal officers of the Senate.
Affirming, that the allegations levied against the global President lacks substance, in substantiable and has since been refuted by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation accused of bribing the association with $200,000 with intent to compromise genuine agitations for the welfare and well being of Nigerian students, the Executive Council, haven considered and investigated all allegations of bribery and embezzlement levelled against the President wishes to state as follows:
That the Executive Council dismisses the allegations as lacking in substance and truth. That the NNPC has publicly denied the allegations, gave the President a clean bill and threatened to sue the purveyors of falsehood if the stories are not retracted.
That there is a political charade. That NANS has never appointed a consultant as widely and impudently claimed by one Smart Olalekan Edwards.
That up til now, no documentary evidence has so far been presented to prove that the allegations against the global President are true. That the Executive Council restates and affirm the innocence of the President in the bribery and embezzlement allegations.
That it is alien to the NANS constitution to convene NANS Senate meeting on Zoom platform after a Pre- convention Senate sitting has held. That the Abubakar Gambo, expelled Senate President allowed his personal interest to override the collective interest of the entire leadership thus, attempting to cause division, malign the Global President and pretentiously portray the the Global President as morally corrupt.
That the Executive members were not informed of any allegation as reeled out in the unconstitutional Zoom Senate meeting which was aimed at destroying the unquestionable integrity built by the Global President since assumption of office.
That if there were to be any allegations, the President was not even given an opportunity to fair hearing. That Bamidele Danielson Akpan remains unimpeachable and therefore continues to direct the affairs of the organization till the emergence of new leadership.
That the Executive Council reaffirms full confidence in the dynamic leadership thus far provided by the Global President and urge him to seek legal redress against anyone tarnishing his hard earned reputation. That the expelled Senate President President goofed by singlehanded appointing a government official against the spirits and letters of the NANS constitution as acting President.
That in line with earlier executive resolution, Chidi Ilogebe remains suspended from NANS due to his appointment as a government official, an act the constitution of NANS frowns at. That we have records of how the embattled senate president has been a clog in the wheel of progress.
Gambo has sold and betrayed series of genuine struggles most of which have been even on the death of students. That even if there be any legitimate change in leadership, the Vice President External Affairs, being the next in ranking, should have assumed the position of Acting President.
That the Executive Council passes a Vote of Confidence on the Global President and enjoins the general public to disregard the illegality orchestrated by the said Abubakar Gambo in connivance with non students and some former leaders whom he gathered on the Zoom platform to erroneously and mischievously plan the failed impeachment plan.
That the Executive Council aligns with the constitution of the 2020 CPC and supports its transition plans. That the Executive Council agrees with the convention date fixed for 13th – 17th of December, 2020.
That the above resolutions negates any purported action illegally taken by Abubakar Gambo Mohammed and deem such as anti organisation activities, act of vendetta and a breach of the NANS constitution. That the entire public is hereby alerted on the antics of the usurpers and advised to be wary of their advances which is aimed at extorting the public, blackmail government and its officials and intended to cause division in NANS.
In conclusion, the Global President, having performed creditably, is hereby advised to ignore the distractions and concentrate on delivering to the next leadership a united NANS.