NANS asks Asefon to step down as President


The Southwest Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has asked its National President, Comrade Sunday Asefon, to immediately step down having served a constitutional one-year in office.


The Zone D caucus of the association called for an urgent conduct of a national convention to usher in a new set of executive members following the expiration of Asefon's one year tenure.

The zone made this known in a statement jointly signed by Comrade Omotoso Surprise, Chairman, NANS Ondo JCC, Comrade Kehinde Damilola Simeon, Chairman, NANS Ogun JCC, Comrade Adeleke Quadri Abidemi, Chairman, NANS Oyo JCC.

The caucus argued that Asefon's tenure had brought untold regression to the association, hence the need for him to pave way for a more 'responsible' and 'ideological' leader.

The statement read in part, "the overbearing character and unending failures of Sunday Asefon as NANS President has continued to cause the organisation a national and international disgrace beyond packaging.

"We are concerned particularly because Asefon hails from our zone and used the ticket of our dear zone that is highly revered as the most ideological zone of the organisation to contest for the NANS Presidency.

"Having assumed office, the conduct and manner in which Asefon has managed the office has not only been demoralising but also directly opposite to what can be regarded as a product of the most ideological zone.

"The zone had produced several Presidents of NANS. In fact, the first president of the Organization, Comrade Sunday Oladele was a proud product of the South West Zone and the history of his productive and radical years as NANS President can be attested to by all lovers of history.

"Similarly, the first President of the first national body of Nigerian students, late Comrade Segun Okeowo, hailed from the South West zone of the country. Without having to mention several other products of the zone that have served the Organization diligently and outstandingly, the lives and antecedent of these two great men are evident enough to proof that our zone indeed is the most ideological zone.

"Unfortunately, the reign of Sunday Asefon has battered and shattered the image of the zone which if not quickly addressed, might be regarded as the representation of what the entire students in the zone are made of.

"Should one make mention of the numerous blunders and his inability to intelligently read prepared speech on national TV?

"How about his bad composure while appearing before the press or his reckless statements of proudly emphasising on social media that a Governor financed and supported his Presidential ambition in an Organization that should not be associated with partisan politics?

"These and many other pathetic actions of Asefon has called for a serious concern as it badly represent what the Nigerian students in the south west zone are capable of intellectually.

"The glad thing however is that younger elements from the zone have continuously shown that Asefon is just an example of a rotten egg in the midst of golden eggs.

"For instance, videos of two young pupils of a primary school in Osun surfaced on the internet in which the pupils intelligently and smartly presented their campaign manifesto in a sound manner before their colleagues, parents and teachers.

"These videos, gladly has shown the rest of the country that the south west zone remains the source of intellectualism and that there is hope for a better future. It is rather sad that we have to compare a supposed intelligent President of NANS to primary school pupils as it would be a ridicule of our secondary school students to compare Asefon with them.

"Essentially, the cooperation of all zones of NANS is needed to save our organisation from the negative and backward hands of Sunday Asefon. We in the southwest zone would have been happier should the tradition of NANS give us the opportunity to present another candidate for NANS Presidency at next convention so as to reshape the bad image Asefon has created for us in the last one year.

"As this is impossible, the leadership of the zone and the committee of JCC Chairmen shall continuously do our best possible to distance the image of our zone from the mess which Asefon has created for us until we have another chance.

"Be that as it may, it is expedient to call on other zones of NANS, and Zone A in particular as the zone to produce next NANS President to gear up their actions and solidarise with us in changing the bad narrative Asefon has given the Organization.

"We are glad that his constitutional one year in office has expired this month. Hence, we are enjoining Zone A and other zones to join in the demand for a convention for the purpose of change of leadership.

“Ours is not to lament, but to understand the revolutionary demands in our organisation at this critical period in the history of Nigeria.

"Therefore, we must come together to agitate for a change of leadership so we can have a progressive National leadership that can intelligently contribute to, and make radical comments on numerous national issues confronting our nation and not the uncommon silence or disgraceful representation which Asefon has displayed so far".