Stop interfering in students’ politics -Itu Students warn Ituen …demand immediate withdrawal of Law suit

Students under the aegis of National Association of Itu Students (NAIS) have implored the member representing Itu in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Idongesit Ituen, to henceforth desist from meddling in the affairs of the association.

The students, who also accused the legislator of instigating a leadership crisis in the association, said he sponsored a faction that held a parallel election on April 10, 2017 even as the election of the bonafide body was ongoing at the Itu council secretariat at Mbak Itam.

Our source, Comrade Ubong Joshua, who vied for the position of secretary in the botched election, alleged that a team of police officers sent by Ituen  invaded the council secretariat and disrupted the event.

According to him, the faction later proceeded to court and filed a case. “The Ituen faction had the effrontery to obtain a court injunction which prevented us from holding our election on a subsequent date. This is impunity. Why is he meddling in our politics? We will never caged by any politician. We know that he is fighting with the Transition Committee Chairman. He should face his battle and leave us alone. We are giving him 14 days to withdraw the case or we shall invade the House of Assembly seeking his resignation.”

Joshua however declared that the students are willing to use dialogue in settling their differences if Ituen washes his hands off the issue.

Fielding questions on the issue, a member of the NAIS election planning committee, who declined being mentioned, said the action of the lawmaker is borne out of his thirst for political supremacy in Itu. “Hon. Idongesit Ituen wants to be the only cock to crow in Itu. He wants to pocket everybody. Let me use your medium to inform him that student politics has nothing to do with macro-politics. As comrades, we cannot accept the politicization of NAIS. He does not support Itu Students. We learnt that he diverted N200m Interministerial fund to build a school. How does that benefit us?”

A former welfare officer of the association, Miss Helen Akpauso, however called on the Ituen faction to withdraw the suit for a peaceful out-of-court settlement. She expressed optimism that the impasse will be resolved in no distant time.