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The Forum of Zonal Coordinators of the National Association of Nigerian Students has said that the leadership of the Association will commence constructive engagement with the Federal Government and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to achieve the reduction of the fuel pump price.
The Forum also warned students across the country against participation in any purported planned protest over the recent increase in fuel price, saying NANS has not called for any protest that hoodlums could hijack.
While addressing a news conference on Saturday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Forum, Comrade Bilal Kurfi, sympathised with the student population over the challenges posed by well-intentioned economic policies introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Kurfi, however, called for a shift from protests to constructive dialogue regarding the recent fuel price hike.
He emphasised that engaging in discussions with relevant stakeholders will more effectively address the issue and find sustainable solutions rather than resorting to demonstrations that those with selfish interests could hijack.
Kurfi reiterated that NANS has not called for any protests or demonstrations, urging the general public to disregard any calls for protests made by non-students with ulterior motives.
He said, “Rather than the student population marching to the streets in protests that could be hijacked further to heighten the already escalating tensions in the system, we believe that dialogue, rather than confrontation, should be adopted to resolve the current crisis. We are intellectuals, not street urchins or political thugs who can be hired by anyone or a group of moneybags to destabilize the country.
“NANS is committed to peaceful and constructive engagement, and we will not be part of any activity that may compromise the safety and well-being of our members and the general public.
“The students shall engage in dialogue with the FG and NNPCL to seek a reduction in petrol prices to mitigate the effects of inflation on our colleagues.
“The idea of protests being called by some non-students masquerading as our colleagues could destabilize the country, and this is not an option for us. We prefer dialogue over actions that could be deemed partisan and counterproductive to the development and unity of our nation,” he added.
Kurfi urged the entire student population to await its civil and democratic actions regarding the price hike and assured them that President Tinubu, as a sympathetic leader, would listen to their concerns.
He also denounced one Mr. Henry Okunomo, who called for a nationwide protest and the shutdown of the economic system.
Chairman of the Forum, Kurfi, said: “In alignment with the disclaimer earlier issued by the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology against One Henry Adewumi Okunomo that he was not a student of the prestigious institution, we further denounce his position calling for a nationwide protest and shutting off our economic system.
“This flagrantly contravenes the position of the student’s body that dialogue should be adopted.
“That the entire student body shares the economic restructuring and reengineering policies being implemented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to put Nigeria on a sound footing and redirect us to the speedy path of economic renaissance.
“That our recourse to dialogue was in the national interest and learning from the wanton destruction of national assets that greeted the recent #endbadgovernance nationwide protests that were heavily hijacked by political thugs and moneybags with invidious partisan interests.
“We are solidly behind the current leadership at the National level and ready to serve as a veritable partner to be able to take Nigeria to the next level.
“Sequel to the foregoing, we plead with the entire student population to await our civil and democratic actions on this price hike and be rest assured that President Bola Hamed Tinubu, as a sympathetic father, will listen to our agitations on this matter,” he stated.
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