Students under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students, National Association of Ogun State Students, National Association of University Students, and the Progressive Students Movements, on Wednesday, advised voters in Ogun State to vote for the incumbent, Governor Dapo Abiodun, for another term.
The bodies in a joint statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja said the decision to endorse the governor came after an emergency senate meeting of the organised leadership of student bodies in Ogun State.
The statement was jointly signed by the NANS chairman, Ogun State, Damilola Simeon, and the NAOSS National President, Ogunrombi Oluwagbemileke.
The students said their endorsement was based on the track record of achievements of the governor.
“This is an aspiration we must embrace as a people. On this note, the senate unanimously concluded that this aspiration is seen in the plans and programme of Abiodun in the last four years and therefore urge the good people of Ogun state in all sectors to embrace the continuity agenda of Dr. Dapo Abiodun so as to ensure the stability and development of our education system which is of paramount importance to us as students.
“This is our reasonable appeal to our parents, guardians and every lover of Ogun State”.
Speaking on the reasons why the governor deserves to win his re-election bid, the bodies noted that critical sectors in the state have witnessed “tremendous improvement under Abiodun”.
“A good example is the Agro Cargo Airport initiative of former governor Gbenga Daniel which the last administration abandoned, now recently brought back to shape under the current administration. That is the progress and kind of continuity we desire for our dear state,” the students added.
The students further stated: “As a constituency, we have engaged the polity in the last four years pushing for policies and interventions that can reshape and bring back the education sector of the state to its former place in the country.
“The Senate observed today that it is of public knowledge that prior to 2019 and assumption to office of Dr Dapo Abiodun, two of our tertiary institutions, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology (formerly Tai Solarin College of Education) were completely shutdown no thanks to the primordial sentiments and lack of thorough planning of the previous administration of Ibikunle Amosun who turned our institutions to cards to play political games.
“It is agreed to by the Senate that these two institutions are not only returned to their functional state, they are better placed with more elaborated courses to be offered as in the case of Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology where degree programs are ongoing just as National Diploma and programs would start soon as plans are all in progress evident from the name change.
“Tai Solarin University of Education today offers not only educational programs but also pure Arts, Science and Social Science courses. The capacity of the institution has been advanced in the last four years such that its goals have been expanded beyond its foundational motive of producing just teachers.”
