The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), has said no polytechnic operating in the country will be allowed to proscribe students’ Unionism under any guise.
NAPS clarified that the authority of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, has not disbanded Students’ Union Government over crisis that erupted on campus on Saturday during the stalemated elections conducted by the students.
Addressing a press conference in Ado Ekiti on Monday, the NAPS National Senate President, Com. Sunday Adekanbi, in collaboration with Civil Society groups, said they agreed with the action taken by the management of the Polytechnic, suspending election on campus pending the time there will be peaceful atmosphere.
The NAPS passed vote of confidence on the management for that prompt action that averted crisis on the day of the election, but said this would not be an excuse for the authority to ban unionism outrightly.
He said the action taken by the Rector, Dr. hephzibar Oladebeye when the election was perceived to have been marred with irregularities , thereby leading to unrest campus, helped to checkmate violence that could lead to loss of lives and property.
“The Polytechnic didn’t ban unionism, it only suspended the election for the sake of peace. The NAPS leadership was on ground to observe the election and we saw how students carried sticks and bottles when they sensed that election has been compromised.
“But the management did not ban unionism neither did it place embargo on it, it was only suspended for a while. What Ado Polytechnic Electoral Commission (APECO ) did by allowing over voting to the extent that the votes were more than the numbers of accredited students made the authority to take the action.
“Only electioneering process was embargoed, because it was degenerating into anarchy and not unionism . NAPS leadership won’t be a party to such and will not tolerate proscription or banning of unionism in any campus”, he stated.
The NAPS leader said it is on record that the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti remains under Oladebeye has maintained a culture of prudency, transparency and innovation to strengthen President Muhammadu Buhari’s quest for a better Nigeria.
“It is on record that the polytechnic has delivered on the core mandate of technical education even with a meagre resources through the efforts of the management.
“We hereby urge all stakeholders and dissenting voices to shun all forms of acrimony and work together for the sake of the institution anybody who does anything contrary will be tagged enemy of Nigerian students.
“As stakeholders continue to deploy energies to restore peace to drive the vision and mission of the school, we urge those posing as saboteurs and dissents to rethink for anything contrary, this coalition will use every legal instrument available to deal with ulterior motive against the institution and its management.”
