Nans warns Governor Akeredolu that he risks all our war for commercialising education in Ondo State

GOVERNOR Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has been warned by the National Association of Nigeria Students (Nans) to desist from commercialising education or he should be prepared for an all out confrontation.

Since the beginning of this year, Governor Akeredolu has been involved in several skirmishes with university students in Ondo State as his increasing of school fees has created tension. Warning the governor, that the matter may escalate, Nans president Danielson Akpan Bamidele, said that since Governor Akeredolu assumed office, he has been introducing obnoxious policies capable of derailing the state from the education excellence it is known for.

Last month, Ondo State's Adekunle Ajasin University at Akungba-Akoko was shut down after students staged a protest to oppose a recent decision of the school's management to bar those who could not pay their fees to sit for their examinations. While stating that Ondo State was known to produce proactive policies for students by previous administrations in the state, Mr Bamidele maintained that Governor Akeredolu has come to destroy all the good legacies laid down by his predecessors.

Mr Bamidele said: “We have come to the point whereby we will not allow any government to begin to allow to run any state especially, the part of it that affects us directly in the manner that pleases him or her. That is the state we have found ourselves in Ondo State, where a governor who was elected to sustain the norm, to sustain the democratic principles of the state, one that has been in existence of long before he became governor, a solid and positive one at that.

"He should not only sustain it but improve on it but this is different with Governor Akeredolu because the first thing he wants to do is to destroy the fabrics of the society. Starting from the health sector, the relationship between the government and civil servants and to our amazement, the educational aspect.

“Ondo State is known for producing best of the best when it comes to education in this country and it is the bedrock of the country when it comes to education. Since the return to democracy in 1999, Ondo State has been making education available for all, from primary level to secondary level.

“Adefarati came, he initiated the free education policy, Agagu came, he sustained it, Mimiko spent two terms, he consolidated on it but Governor Akeredolu came and destroyed all of that. He didn’t stop at that, he went further by saying he will no longer pay West African Examination Council fees for students of this state, knowing fully well that it does not cost the state anything to take care of that annually."

He gave Governor Akeredolu A few hours ultimatum to reverse tuition fees in all tertiary institutions in the state or face the wrath of students across the country. Reacting, Segun Ajiboye, the governor's chief press secretary, stated that it was the Nans president that exhibited acts of arrogance when talking with the governor.