The second term bid of Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has caused disunity among the leadership of the National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS).
The association was engulfed in a leadership crisis over the passing vote of no confidence in the present administration and the withdrawal of the same by the group leader.
The National President of the association, Abdullahi Wokili, had on Wednesday at a news conference, passed a vote of no confidence in the Abdulrazaq-led administration.
Wokili, among other things, said the state had remained stagnant in terms of security, economic, education, and infrastructure developments and that the governor does not have the capacity to move the state forward.
In a counter move, the association’s Vice President, Special Duties, Akeemat Issa, in the company of other executive members, on Thursday held another news conference, dissociating the students’ body from the position of the president.
Issa said that at no time did the executives of the association meet to discuss or pass a vote of confidence or otherwise on any political candidate.
”We wish to state that the association is non-partisan and it is most unfortunate that the supposed leader of the union is attempting to drag the noble association into politics for personal reasons.
”This is against the oath sworn by him to be fair and just in the discharge of his duty as the president.
”While we admit that there is always room for adjustment, especially in the educational sector, we wish to state that the claim by the president has nothing to do with the students’ populace and is unfounded,” she said.
The vice president added that it was surprising that a president, who commended the governor, just 15 days ago and gave him a lot of accolades, could now condemn him, which depicts a political undertone.
”Surprisingly, the president was also seen this week giving an Award of Excellence to the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Afees Alabi, for his numerous achievements in the area of education.
”Also, a few days ago, the president was reeling out the achievements of the present administration, while paying homage to the office of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs at a parley with the Kwara State Best Students’ Award nominees,” she said.
Issa, however, listed some of the state government’s interventions for the benefit of students in recent times, for which the president himself had signed a series of appreciation letters directed to the governor.
”Some of them are scholarships given to 179 students of Kwara origin in Law Schools across the country to
the tune of N17.9 million, who are all our members.
”Approval of N41 million as a general bursary for Kwara indigenes in tertiary institutions within the country.
”Release of N10 million scholarship to Muhammed Giwa to study for Masters’ Degree in Business Administration at the prestigious University of Cambridge.
”Approval of N15 million as scholarship grant to Mr. Abdulrasheed Ijaodola to enable him to study LLM Programme in Law, Science, and Technology in Stanford University, UK.
”Release of N70 million out of the approved N100 million for the completion of female hostel at the College of Nursing, Oke-Ode.
”Release of N100 million for the completion of 1000 seating capacity auditorium at the Kwara State Polytechnic, school of the National President of NAKSS,” she said.
Issa, however, condemned the actions of the president by jettisoning the charter of the association and acting in a lone move, bringing dust to the name of the association.
