BY RITA OYIBOKA
The National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) has disassociated itself from the proposed protest by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in response to the recent fuel hike.
In an exclusive interview with The Pointer, the National President of NADESSTU, Comrade Monday Wiska, emphasized that the protest was announced by a faction of NANS and did not come from an official or recognized source within the association.
He pointed out that the Senate President of NANS, who reportedly signed the memo announcing the protest, does not possess the constitutional authority to call for such a protest independently. “The responsibility to communicate the views and aspirations of students lies with the president, in collaboration with the executive council, not the Senate President,” he said.
According to Wiska, the Senate President’s role is primarily to ensure laws and orders are upheld and to oversee the activities of the executive council, not to lead protests. He further clarified that a protest can only be called after the executive council has officially approved it and released a memo. The NADESSTU President was firm in his stance that the proposed protest does not represent the views of Nigerian students, saying, “Those behind this protest are not the true representatives of Nigerian students, and NADESSTU has no part in it.”
He suggested that this protest could be a strategy by certain individuals to gain attention or recognition from the government. “Typically, these protests are postponed as soon as the organizers receive some form of attention from the authorities,” he remarked, cautioning against focusing on such distractions.
In addition, Wiska expressed his disappointment with the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu. He noted that students in Delta State, like many across the country, have lost faith in the administration due to the increasing hardship since it took office on May 29.
“The level of hardship has increased by 30 per cent, if not more. The situation is dire,” he said. Wiska urged the federal government to return to the drawing board, consult top economic experts, and introduce policies that would alleviate the suffering currently being experienced by Nigerians.
