2 prominent student unions in Nigeria have withdrawn calls for protests against the leadership of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Recall that the National Association of Nigerian Students and the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) recently issued separate letters to the NMDPRA CEO, Engr. Farouk Ahmed, demanding his resignation and accusing him of mismanaging public funds.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, despite previously threatening to mobilise millions of students across Nigeria to protest against the NMDPRA leadership, both unions have come out to withdraw their demands and protest notices.
NANS, via Comrade Opeyemi Samson Ajasa, even went as far as apologising for any inconvenience caused by its earlier statement, citing further investigations with stakeholders that made it clear that their allegations were based on false information.
According to him, NANS later found out that the accusations in its earlier correspondence are unfounded and misleading, plus they do not reflect the true state of affairs within the agency.
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He then expressed his readiness to collaborate with Engr. Farouk Ahmed and the NMDPRA to bridge the communication gap between NANS and the agency.
“We have discovered that the issues raised in our earlier correspondence are unfounded, misleading, and do not accurately reflect the true state of affairs within the agency.
We wish to reaffirm our readiness to collaborate with Engr. Farouk Ahmed and the NMDPRA to bridge the communication gap between the youth and student constituency and the agency.
We understand that our earlier letter was based on incomplete information, and we regret any harm it may have caused.
We are committed to working with the NMDPRA leadership to ensure that our concerns are addressed in a constructive and peaceful manner.
NANS is committed to upholding the values of truth, fairness, and constructive engagement,” Comrade Ajasa emphasized.
We believe that dialogue and cooperation are essential in resolving issues, and we are willing to work with the NMDPRA leadership to achieve this goal,” he said.
NAPS also scrapped plans for its protest in a letter dated May 3, 2025, signed by Comr. Eshiofune Paul Oghayan.
Citing the need for constructive dialogue, he advocated for a peaceful engagement with the NMDPRA leadership, rather than protests.
“We believe that protests should be a last resort, and we are willing to engage with the NMDPRA leadership to resolve our concerns.
We are committed to seeking truth and justice, and we will work with the NMDPRA leadership to ensure that our concerns are addressed.
As student leaders, we have a responsibility to our members to ensure that their interests are protected and promoted.
We will continue to engage with the NMDPRA leadership to ensure that our concerns are addressed in a constructive and peaceful manner.
NAPS is committed to promoting transparency and accountability in the management of public institutions.
We will continue to work with the NMDPRA leadership to ensure that our concerns are addressed and that the interests of our members are protected,” he added.
