A faction of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has accused its National President, Lucky Emonefe, and Senate President, Babatunde Afeez, of partiality in the allocation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses donated by the Federal Government to tertiary institutions. This controversy stems from the distribution of 64 CNG buses handed over in September 2022, where 40 were given to labor unions, 20 to the student body, and four retained in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a petition released in Awka on Monday, the dissenting group alleged that the student leaders unfairly distributed the buses, leaving many students without access to this essential resource. The petition was signed by multiple stakeholders, including Deputy Senate President Huzaifa Usman (Dangote University of Science and Technology), National Ex-Officio Member Anderson Uwakwe (Federal College of Land and Resources Technology), Vice President for Special Duties Egbo Johnpaul Nnamchi (Enugu State College of Education), and other representatives from various institutions.
Addressed to President Bola Tinubu, the petition called for immediate intervention to prevent a breakdown of order and to uphold the President’s political integrity. It also included copies sent to key government and institutional authorities, such as the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services, and student union leaders across the nation.
The petition expressed dissatisfaction over what it described as an unequal distribution process, accusing Emonefe and Afeez of neglecting principles of equity and transparency. The students argued that the selective allocation has exacerbated transportation challenges for Nigerian students, raising costs and causing economic hardship. They warned that these issues could damage trust in the NANS leadership and tarnish the President’s reputation if left unaddressed.
The students passed a vote of no confidence in Emonefe and Afeez, demanding an investigation into the allocation process, equitable redistribution of the buses, and disciplinary measures against the implicated leaders. They urged President Tinubu to act swiftly to resolve the matter and restore fairness.