Disquiet as NANS threatens to shut down UNIZIK
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone ‘B’ has threatened to shut down the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State over the alleged unlawful expulsion of the institution’s Student Union Government (SUG) President, Noble Eyisi, by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku. The coordinator of NANS, Pedro Obi, issued the threat in a statement […]
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone ‘B’ has threatened to shut down the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State over the alleged unlawful expulsion of the institution’s Student Union Government (SUG) President, Noble Eyisi, by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku. The coordinator of NANS, Pedro Obi, issued the threat in a statement signed by the chairman of the union, Amaechina Ikedi.
Obi said Eyisi was allegedly expelled for demanding an account of the SUG dues from the vice chancellor who, he claimed, appointed his aide to oversee the affairs of the union.
“NANS frowns at the nonchalant attitude of the university towards students’ representation in the campus, where for over two academic sessions the university has been without a democratically elected SUG government,” the statement said. “This is for sure being coordinated to allow an aide of the vice chancellor, who doubles as a lecturer to function as SUG president. Within this period, the VC has been diverting the SUG dues,” Obi alleged. The coordinator also described the alleged 200 per cent increase in school fees for students by the institution as well as un-receipted bank charges as “extortion, fraudulent and illegal.”
While noting that the union is mobilising students against the management, he called for the reinstatement of Eyisi and those he described as other politically victimised students. He also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the accounts of the institution and the SUG. Reacting, Prof. Ahaneku described the allegations as “dumbfounded and falsehood.”
Speaking through the institution’s spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, Ahaneku said the former SUG president was impeached by members of the SUG parliament.
“Even after his impeachment, he went to court to challenge it but also lost,” Ojukwu said, describing the allegation of embezzlement of SUG dues as “infantile and stupid.”