Nigerian Students Pass Vote of No Confidence in NANS President Over Alleged Partisan Activities
A group of concerned Nigerian students has announced a vote of no confidence in the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, accusing him of repeatedly compromising the neutrality and integrity of the association through partisan political engagements.
According to the students, the decision followed what they described as several warnings against the NANS President’s repeated actions, which they believe have ridiculed the association and reduced its credibility in the pursuit of political patronage.
The students argued that the office of the NANS President is a national institution established to represent the collective interests of Nigerian students, not a platform for promoting or defending the interests of politicians or political parties.
They maintained that while every student leader is entitled to personal political beliefs and affiliations, occupying the highest office in NANS demands impartiality, responsibility, and a commitment to protecting the interests of all Nigerian students.
“If anyone wants to participate in mainstream politics, that is their constitutional right. However, such a person should resign from the office of NANS President instead of using the platform of Nigerian students to pursue partisan political interests,” the group stated.
The students further alleged that the continued politicisation of NANS weakens the credibility of the association and undermines its historic role as an independent body committed to defending the rights and welfare of Nigerian students, regardless of which political party or government is involved.
They also criticised what they described as attempts to “bastardize” the association for personal political gain, urging the NANS President to stop allowing political patronage to influence the affairs of the organisation.
According to the group, the office of the NANS President should remain independent, fearless, and focused on holding leaders accountable on issues affecting students rather than becoming a tool entangled in partisan political battles.
They concluded by reminding the NANS President that history would judge every occupant of the office by how well they preserved the integrity, independence, and credibility of NANS—not by how passionately they defended any political figure.
The concerned students therefore called on Comrade Akinteye Babatunde to either uphold the non-partisan mandate of the office or relinquish his position if he intends to actively participate in mainstream politics.
