The National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) has suspended for now its plan nationwide protest scheduled for Tuesday, May 7, over the current fuel scarcity and poor electricity supply in the country.
The students’ body said it shelved the protest and opted for dialogue with
relevant government authorities which had appealed for roundtable rather than to be confrontational in addressing the two subjects of concerns raised in the threat.
The association announced the suspension of the protest in a statement on Sunday and jointly signed by the senate president of NANS, Akinteye Afeez and five zonal cordinators of NANS, namely: Bilal Lawal Kurfi(Zone A, Northwest), Daniel Friday Egga (Zone C, North Central), Alao John(Zone D, Southwest), Chidi Nzekwe( Zone F, Southeast) and Bappa Hassan Adam(Zone E, Northast).
In its earlier threat, NANS called for immediate sack of the minister of power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu and the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited(NNPCL), Mr Melee Kyari, blaming the duo for the untold hardship Nigerians are going through due to the current petroleum and power supply crisis and identified some major highways across the six geopolitical zones of the country to simultaneously carry out the planned protest.
The association however on Sunday gave reasons for the suspension, saying “The government has reached out to us to initiate dialogue and has provided assurances that measures will be taken to end the fuel scarcity crisis and also promised improvement in electricity supply before the end of next week.
“So, while we remain vigilant in our pursuit of accountability and good governance, we believe that engaging in dialogue presents an opportunity to address our concerns through constructive means.
“As student leaders, our agitations are not fueled by personal animosity towards both the NNPCL GCEO and the Minister of Power, but rather by our responsibility as a pressure group to hold them accountable for their positions.
“We recognise the importance of keeping government officials accountable and ensuring transparency in the management of our nation’s resources.
“So, our decision to suspend mobilization towards a national protest till further notice comes as a result of our collective recognition that lasting solutions often emerge from constructive dialogue and negotiation.
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“So, while our initial call for protest was driven by frustration and urgency in addressing the fuel scarcity and electricity crisis gripping our nation, we recognise the potential for meaningful change through dialogue.
To this end, by engaging in discussions with government officials, stakeholders, and relevant parties, we aim to seek sustainable solutions that address the root causes of the challenges facing both the petroleum and power sectors.
“We remain steadfast in our pursuit of positive change and will not hesitate to resume our advocacy efforts if substsntial progress is not made soonest.”
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