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 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 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 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 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.
