The National Association of Nigerian Students, on Saturday, said there was no truth in the claim that it has become the mouthpiece of the government.
The association was responding to a statement credited to a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), that the association has become the government’s mouthpiece.
Falana was, on Friday, reported to have expressed worry that the current leadership of NANS has become the mouthpiece of the government, saying they have strayed from the motive of establishing the union.
The legal luminary also said the students’ body should be repositioned to defend Nigerian students and not the government.
The current crop of student leaders ought to realise that NANS was not set up to defend governments but Nigerian students. Henceforth, NANS should promote and defend the interests of Nigerian students at home and abroad,” Falana was quoted to have said.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday, the President of NANS, Emonefe Lucky, noted that his leadership of the association has been defending Nigerian students and has never derailed from the motives for which the founding fathers established the association.
Lucky added that while the association is a pressure group with the primary motive of fighting injustice against Nigerian students both at home and abroad, the association will not fail to applaud the government when good policies are either made or executed.
He said, “We are always defending and speaking for the interest of Nigerian students. Maybe Falana wants us to be the mouthpiece of opposition. It is also our responsibility to speak when we see what is good, especially good policies in the education sector such as the students’ loans.”