Crisis Rocks NAOSS As Legislative Arm Voids Election Of New Executive

By Ayobami Ife, Abeokuta

The Legislative Arm of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) has declared election of new executive members of the association as an exercise devoid of legitimacy, legality and recognition.

The Daily Crucible reports that the NAOSS had on Thursday conducted its convention at the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) Secretariat Abeokuta where some individuals emerged as members of the new executive to pilot the association’s affairs for a given period.

At the end of the national convention which drew delegates from tertiary institutions across the country and had the National Vice President, Inter – Campus and Gender Affairs of NANS, Akinbodunse Sileola Felicia as well as other relevant stakeholders as observers, Olubodun Olalekan from Ondo State University of Science and Technology, emerged the new NAOSS national president.

Olubodun was reported to have polled 73 votes to defeat Dare Ogunbanwo from the Federal Cooperative College, Ibadan, who polled 21 votes as announced by the Convention Chairman and Returning Officer, Ogunrombi Gbemileke.

Other new executive members who emerged from the Thursday convention according to Ogunrombi, include Musari Wale from the Ogun State Co-operative College, Vice President 1; Hassan Olamilekan, Sikiru Adetona College of Science and Technology, Omu Ijebu, Vice President 2; Adesanya Peter, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Ago Iwoye, General Secretary and Arikewuyo Feranmi, Federal University of Technology (FUTA) Akure, Public Relations Officer.

Also elected are Oseni Oluwaseun from Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, who emerged as the Assistant General Secretary 1; Akinsanya Ibrahim, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Assistant General Secretary 2, Ogunsan Joshua, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Senate President and Ige Jide from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye who emerged as the Clerk.

However, a twist crept in on Friday as the legislative arm in a statement signed by Senator Omole Ayomade (Senate President) and Senator Akinsola Prisca(Senate Clerk) voided the purported election office the new NAOSS executive members and confirmed Saturday, December 13 as the day for NAOSS legitimate election to pick authentic new leaders.

“The Legislative Arm therefore declares that the said election is null, void, and of no effect*. It has no legitimacy, no recognition, and no authority within NAOSS,” the legislative arm stated.

Justifying the nullification of the purported election, the legislative arm claimed that the election was conducted without the supervision, approval, or involvement of the duly constituted Convention Planning Committee (CPC) Chairman, who was legally appointed by the Legislative Arm.

The Senate noted that this alleged fundamental breach alone rendered the process of the said election of Comrade Olubodun Olalekan and others invalid.

It also alleged that individuals who falsely paraded themselves as Senators were used to create the appearance of legitimacy while the purportedly elected president and some other aspirants involved in the illegal process were already graduates and therefore ineligible to contest under NAOSS rules.

It commended the effort of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria police force for defending the constitution of NAOSS by stopping an illegal gathering/election on Thursday 11th of December at the NLC premises.