21ST JULY, 2016
BEING THE TEXT OF THE WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY COMRADE PRINCE MIAPHEN, THE CONVENTION CHAIRMAN/ACTING PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN STUDENTS (NANS), ON THE FALLOUT OF THE ABORTED 31ST NATIONAL CONVENTION OF NANS, HELD AT THE GOMBE TOWNSHIP STADIUM FROM 14TH TO 18TH JULY, 2016
PREAMBLE:
It is with a profound sense of responsibility, and unflinching solidarity with the struggles and sacrifices of our heroes; past and present, that we have called this extraordinary Press Briefing, in order to shed light and reveal the factual perspectives on the recent goings-on in the apex student body of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
This Press Briefing has become very imperative, view of the deluge of outright mendacities, half-truths, mischievous misinformation and innuendoes that have emanated from the recent aborted 31st National Convention of NANS, which held at the Gombe Township Stadium from 14th to 18th of July, 2016. The onus rests on us, as patriotic citizens of our fatherland and genuine stakeholders of NANS, to feed the teeming Nigerian students and by extension the general public, with the facts of what transpired at the aborted Gombe Convention 2016, with a view to setting a clear roadmap for the future of our dear organization, NANS.
My name is Comrade Prince Miaphen, and by the mandate of Nigerian students, I am the Convention Chairman of the 31st NANS Convention, hence the Acting National President of NANS. With me on this press conference are the four zonal coordinators of NANS, namely Uman Baba Kankia (Zone A), Pedro Chibuzo Obi (Zone B), Habib Salau Enefi (Zone C) and Ogunsola Okikiola (Zone D).
NANS IN BRIEF PERSPECTIVE
For record purposes, NANS is the umbrella body of the over 40 million Nigerian students, at home and in the diaspora. Founded initially as NUNS (the National Union of Nigerian Students) in 1963 before transforming into NANS, the organization is fundamentally at the fore of constructive advocacy for decent, qualitative and affordable education at all levels in Nigeria. It is also committed to the struggles for democracy, freedom, equality, fairness, justice and progress.
In fact, the history of Nigeria cannot be restated without prominent mention of the pivotal roles played by NANS at various points in Nigeria’s political, economic, social and cultural evolution.
In 1978, NUNS championed the famous “Ali Must Go” struggle, in which though many students made the ultimate sacrifice by losing their lives, the organization was able to successful push for the repeal of the obnoxious educational policies of the then federal administration, as championed by the then Federal Commissioner of Education, Col. Ahmodu Alli. This also led to the proscription of the organization for a protracted period, before its reformation as NANS in 1983. Shortly after its reformation, NANS again staged the famous “Ango Must Go” Protest of 1986, spearheaded by students of the Ahmadu Bello University, A.B.U. Zaria.
NANS was equally a major actor at the barricade that forced the self-acclaimed evil genius, General Ibrahim B. Babangida to finally step aside after eight years as military president. NANS is acclaimed one of the arrowheads of the popular “June 12” struggle, for the restoration of the mandate of Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election in Nigeria; an election which is still referenced as the freest and fairest in Nigeria and was annulled by the draconian regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.
NOTE OF APPRECIATION
At this juncture, I am compelled to express our esteemed regards to all the delegates and observers that made out time and traveled from far and near to witness the 31st NANS Convention at Gombe State. I wish to state my deep gratitude to all the delegates for considering me worthy, hence voting me as the Chairman of the august gathering.
I, and by implication the entire Nigerian Students, also owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Special Assistant to Mr. President on Youth and Student Affairs, Comrade Nasir S. Adhama, for his tireless support for the organization, of which he is an irrefutable stakeholder.
In the same vein, I must give kudos to the personable and indefatigable members of the 31st NANS Convention Planning Committee, for their assiduous efforts and the unbridled deployment of their vast experiences towards ensuring that the process saw the light of day.
REPORT OF THE ABORTED 31ST NANS CONVENTION, GOMBE 2016
NANS is a democratic organization, whose elections are governed by convention and constitutional provisions. Leadership ascension in NANS is via a credible, keenly contested and transparent democratic process.
The 31st NANS Convention commenced at about 4:30 pm on 17th July, 2016 with the registration/accreditation of delegates. The process however spilled over to the following day, 18th July, and a total of two hundred and forty four (244) delegates were accredited.
Subsequently, the contest for the Convention Chairman commenced with four contenders. Their names and the votes they polled are as follows:
Yemi Adeniran-
63 votes
Ibrahim Yusuf-
51 votes
Prince Miaphen-
71 votes
Jibrin Ahmadu-
56 votes
Total number of invalid votes=3
By virtue of the results, my humble self, Comrade Prince Miaphen, emerged the Convention Chairman of the Gombe Convention, having polled the highest number of valid votes cast.
It is instructive to note that by the provisions of the Constitution and Charter of Demands of NANS, any incumbent National Executive (EXCO) is immediately stripped of its executive powers upon the emergence of a Convention Chairman at the NANS convention, as the Convention Chairman becomes the custodian of the NANS Secretariat and takes charge of the elections that would usher-in a new set of National Executives. This implies that as at the time of my emergence as NANS Convention Chairman on 18th July, 2016, the then NANS Executive, led by Comrade Tijjani Usman, stood formally dissolved by the congress of NANS.
However, as we were about to progress with the election of new National Executives by calling for nomination of presidential aspirants, a band of dare-devil miscreants invaded the venue from nowhere, brandishing dangerous weapons like guns, knives, axes etc. As though indicative of cold complicity, the officers and men of the Nigeria Police, whom had hitherto provided security at the venue of the convention, vanished into thin air just before the arrival of the hoodlums.
The miscreants therefore had a field day, inflicting severe bodily harm on delegates and robbing them of their valuables. To compound the mystery, the policemen who had earlier fled the scene of the imbroglio, started to resurface after the hoodlums had had their way.
Expectedly, there was heightened tension and commotion at the Gombe State Stadium, venue of the convention, as delegates and observers scampered for safety. Consequently, I was left with no choice as the Convention Chairman but to call off the convention, after due consultation with a broad spectrum of aspirants, delegates and stakeholders, in a bid to mitigate further bloodshed, which could have led to the loss of valuable lives.
THE WAY FORWARD
As the Convention Chairman/Acting President of NANS, I seize this medium to affirm my utmost commitment to organizing a transparent, free and fair national convention for the organization, where delegates would be free to exercise their rights to elect the leaders of their choices without any intimidation or harassment from any quarters. While recognizing the urgency of the task at hand, I equally acknowledge that it would amount to a parody and betrayal of my mandate, to conduct a slapdash work which may not achieve the desired result.
Therefore in recognition of the enormous time and resources invested by aspirants, institutions and delegates towards the aborted Gombe Convention, I consider it reasonable to allow a timeline of at least six weeks before calling for another National Convention. That way, the aspirants and delegates can recuperate from their losses at the aborted Gombe Convention, and muster fresh energies, resources and enthusiasms to participate actively at the next convention. Hence after due consultation with aspirants and relevant stakeholders, I wish to state that a change will be effected in the national leadership of NANS via a transparent, credible, free and fair election within the next six weeks, whereas a substantive date and venue would be announced for the 31st NANS National Convention within ten (10) days from the date of this Press Briefing.
DISCLAIMER
In view of the foregoing, the National Association of Nigerian Students wishes to make an unequivocal statement that any individual that parades himself/herself as an elected National Executive Officer of NANS from the Gombe Convention, is an imposter and a criminal, and not only should the teeming Nigerian students and the general public discountenance such a person, but the appropriate law enforcement agencies should swing expeditiously into action to apprehend and prosecute such a person.
Therefore any individual or organization that transacts any business with any individual who claims to be an elected National Official of NANS, besides my humble self, Comrade Prince Miaphen, prior to the successful conclusion of the 31st NANS National Convention which date and venue shall be announced shortly, does so exclusively at their own peril. All individuals, organizations, relevant security agencies and the media should kindly take note of this.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, I wish to affirm that notwithstanding the unfortunate outcome of the aborted 31st NANS convention, the organization still remains focused and committed to its traditional and constitutional responsibilities to the Nigerian students and masses, and as an undeterred advocate for social justice, peace and democracy.
I must also seize this medium to commiserate with all the delegates that sustained injuries in the hands of the miscreants at Gombe Stadium, while equally expressing my profound sympathy to the Management of Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, as well as the families and friends of the students of the institution, who were involved in an auto crash on their way back after the aborted convention. I also commiserate with the students of Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano, who were involved in a car accident on their way out of Gombe.
I cannot conclude the press briefing however, without vehemently deprecating the dastardly and divisive role of the Gombe State Governor, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo aimed at balkanizing NANS. We had expected that as the Governor of the host state, Governor Dankwambo would have only provided the necessary logistic support for the success of the event and not meddle with the election process, however our expectations were cut short when Dankwambo, in cahoots with hi
s Chief Security Officer, Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Higher Education, attempted to buy the consciences of delegates and impose his choice candidate, Com. Chinonso Obasi, a.k.a. IBB on the Nigerian students. We have it on record that it was after Dankwambo’s conspiracy to use pecuniary means to sway the direction of votes in favour of his candidate was met with stiff resistance by the vigilant Nigerian students that the convention erupted in violence.
We look forward to a peaceful, free and fair NANS Convention that will reflect the true wishes and aspirations of the majority of Nigerian students. Thank you all and God bless.
Aluta Continua! Victoria Acerta!!
Yours in the struggle,
Comrade Prince Miaphen
31ST NANS CONVENTION CHAIRMAN/ACTING PRESIDENT
