By Gloria Emmanuel The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately sack the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau over what it described as dishonourable actions while declaring total war on the minister.
The students’ body made the call Tuesday in Abuja during a press conference.
NANS President, Comrade Tijani Usman Shehu while addressing the press vowed that “From Thursday, December 4th 2014, NANS will occupy the ministry of education until Dr Ibrahim Shekarau is sacked”
The association stated that “the leadership of NANS rejects Dr Ibrahim Shekarau as the minister of education. We cannot work with a minister who sponsors impersonation of one of our key officers and who has shown open unwarranted hostility towards the legitimate leadership of NANS. We therefore call on our father and leaders, President Goodluck Jonathan to sack him immediately.”
The student body which promised to tackle the minister “ferociously and squarely in order to preserve the dignity of the association” alleged that the minister gave a total sum of $120,000, about N19, 200,000 million to one aspirant, Comrade Ali Wali, who is from his home state, Kano and said “by this action, the minister who should be a father to call took sides.”
The association which claimed not to be bothered with the minister’s partisan politics and which also claimed to have made efforts to reach the minister but to no avail alleged that the huge sum was squandered by the ministers’ candidate who later withdrew from the race but yet was backed by the minister to declare himself as the secretary general of NANS and “continues to encourage impersonation in NANS.”
He stated that despite efforts made by convention chairman who conducted the elections and the senior special assistant to the president on youth and student affairs, Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta and Jude Imagwe respectively, the minister “has also further in expression of his anger and hostility towards the genuine leadership of NANS shut his door against an organisation that he is expected to supervise.”
The minister and his aides could not be reached as the minister was on official duty to Port-Harcourt.
