Stop Using Governor Uzodimma’s Name to Deceive Imo Students — NANS Warns Oparaji
By Our Reporter
The leadership and stakeholders of Imo State students under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have strongly condemned what they described as the unauthorized and misleading use of the name of the Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, to deceive students in the state.
In a statement issued on Monday, the students accused the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, Comrade Franklyn Oparaji, of persistently misrepresenting facts and invoking the Governor’s name to create confusion and potential crisis within the student community.
The association called on Oparaji to immediately desist from actions capable of tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of Governor Uzodimma, whom they noted has performed creditably in the state.
According to the students, the Imo State student community is made up of intellectually exposed individuals who cannot be manipulated or misled through false claims or the misuse of the Governor’s name, whom they described as the “beloved father of the state.”
Some students, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid possible reprimand, described as unfortunate and unacceptable Oparaji’s alleged claim that the Governor was convening a meeting of “NANS critical stakeholders” at the Imo Youth Centre without due clearance or proper definition of who such stakeholders are.
They maintained that only duly elected student leaders and recognized stakeholders within the student community qualify as NANS representatives, warning against the inclusion of non-students, market association members, or street urchins under the guise of NANS stakeholders.
“We respectfully ask: who qualifies as ‘NANS critical stakeholders’ if not duly elected office holders and selected members of the student community who have served in various leadership capacities within NANS?” the statement queried.
The students emphasized that any engagement purported to be on behalf of NANS must be inclusive, transparent, and conducted in line with the association’s legitimate structures and leadership.
They stressed that clarity on the matter is necessary to prevent misinformation and to protect the integrity of the office of the Governor and the student body at large.
The statement concluded with a warning that the student community would vehemently oppose any individual who uses the Governor’s name to perpetrate actions capable of causing division or harm, noting that NANS remains a structured association governed by clearly defined rules and principles.
