The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Sunday, July 19, rejected the dissolution of students union activities at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), saying it should be reversed with immediate effect.
The national students body said this in a statement by its president, Babatunde Afeez Akinteye, adding that it unequivocally rejected what it described as the blanket dissolution of the students’ union and the suspension of legitimate students’ representative activities without due process, transparency and fair hearing.
The authorities of the university, in a memo through the Dean of Students Affairs, said the three arms of the students union, hall representatives and all other activities have been dissolved with immediate effect until further notice.
The memo also asked all the students concerned to make themselves available to appear before an investigation panel of the university to give account of their stewardship.
However, rejecting the dissolution, NANS said the students union is a democratic institution established to represent the interests and welfare of students and its officials cannot be removed from office through an administrative memorandum.
The students body wrote: “The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has received with grave concern the memorandum issued by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, University of Port Harcourt, announcing the dissolution of the Students’ Union, Hall Representatives and all other students’ union activities with immediate effect.
“While the university management has the right to investigate allegations of misconduct and demand accountability from elected student representatives, NANS unequivocally rejects the blanket dissolution of the students’ union and the suspension of legitimate students’ representative activities without due process, transparency and fair hearing.
“The students’ union is not a personal property of the Vice-Chancellor or any university administrator. It is a democratic institution established to represent the interests and welfare of students. Its elected officers were chosen by the students and cannot simply be removed from office through an administrative memorandum without clear allegations, proper investigation and the opportunity for the affected officers to defend themselves.
“We are particularly concerned that the memorandum demands the immediate handover of union properties, official documents and financial records while simultaneously directing the officers to appear before an investigative panel when invited. This raises serious questions about the transparency, fairness and independence of the process.
“NANS will not stand by while the democratic rights of Nigerian students are suspended through administrative fiat.
“Let it be clearly understood that NANS is not opposed to accountability. Any student leader found culpable of financial misconduct or any other offence must be held accountable in accordance with due process. However, accountability cannot be used as a weapon to destroy students’ democracy or silence legitimate student representation.
“We demand the immediate reversal of this dissolution order pending the conclusion of a transparent and fair investigation.”
