Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The national leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says it will march to the national headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) on July 7, to physically submit a petition against the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun state, Dr. Olusegun Aluko, over allegations of financial misappropriation.
The national vice-president of the NANS, Ojo Raymond, disclosed this during a press conference on Sunday, in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
Raymond, flanked by other top members of the association, said it had become imperative for NANS to take a drastic step to call the attention of the Federal government to probe activities of the Rector, particularly in area of contracts award for projects in the Polytechnic.
The student body alleged that the Rector orchestrated the arrest of the suspended Students’ Union Government (SUG) President of the Polytechnic, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, for challenging the management of the institution over the allegation of financial misappropriation.
While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, through the Minister of Education, to urgently set a panel to investigate the execution of ongoing projects and projects executed by Aluko, alleging that “majority of the projects did not follow due process and were executed by the Rector through his fronts and private companies”.
“The national leadership of NANS will be matching down to the headquarters of EFCC and ICPC on Tuesday, July 7 to submit a petition against the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Dr. Olusegun Aluko for gross financial misappropriation and embezzlement.
“The National President of NANS, Danielson Bamidele Akpan will lead the 16 National Excos, 37 state chairmen of the Joint Campus Committees (JCC) of NANS, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and the four Zonal Coordinators of NANS in the match to the headquarters of EFCC and ICPC.
“We call on the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and that of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to as matter of urgency investigate the administration of all funds allocated or generated by Federal Polytechnic Ilaro since the appointment of Dr. Aluko as the Rector of the polytechnic”, Raymond said.
He, however, lamented what he described as “constant oppression and victimisation of student union leaders by managements of tertiary institutions across the country in attempt to kill students activism”, disclosing that NANS has set aside a day, tagged, ‘National Day of Action Against Victimisation and Intimidation of Students Union Leaders’.
According to him, the national leadership of NANS had issued a directive to all the Students’ Union Government leaders in all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory to organise a mass protest against alleged victimisation and oppression of students.
“The National Executive Council of NANS has approved the proposal of a National Day of Action Against Victimization and Intimidation of Students Union Leaders by management of tertiary institutions. In this direction, the NANS National Secretariat has directed all Students’ Union Governments in every state in the federation to organise mass protests against victimisation of student leaders in their respective states before the National Day of Action to be held in Ogun state.
“As students leaders, we will continue to resist any attempt or calculated attempts to destabilise students unionism in Nigeria, as we will continue to defend the interests of our students at all times in all fronts. We will equally fight this deliberate effort to destroy our Comrade as we have been able to ascertain in our fact-findings”. NANS national vice president stated.
He also called on the Rector of the FPI to “immediately and unconditionally reinstate Olatunji pending the outcome of the on-going investigation of frivolous allegations against him.”
When contacted on phone, the Rector described the allegations of financial misappropriation levelled against him by the NANS as “baseless and unfounded.”
He denied influencing the award of projects contracts in the school to his cronies or self, saying all the contract documents, tenders and other vital documents are available for inspection and investigation.
Aluko, who challenged the NANS leadership to submit the petitions to the EFCC and the ICPC, declared that he was ready to face investigations from the anti-graft agencies.
On the victimisation of the suspended SUG president of the polytechnic, the Rector denied being a brain behind the travails of the students’ leader.
According to him, the SUG president had been charged to court for involving in cultism, adding “the moment the court clears him of the crime, the school management will not hesitate to reinstate him back in the school”.