Ogun APC blasts NANS' Golden Man award to alleged drug baron

The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for naming a suspected drug baron, Senator Buruji Kashamu, as its Golden man of the year.

gathered that National President of NANS, Tijani Usman, had honoured the Senator last week for his philanthropy.

“We are fascinated at his large-heartedness even in the face of needless distractions," Usman had said.

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"We reckon that if all wealthy Nigerians are like Senator Kashamu, the country will be a better place for us all. That is why we decided to encourage him by giving him this award.”

But the Ogun APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Sola Lawal, said the award shows the decay in NANS.

“The honour signifies a pitiable erosion of value which points to the fact that indeed the future is bleak for the future generation of Nigerians as represented by the current leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, that has been so debased, backward and visionless," Lawal said.,

According to the APC, the students' body has lost the vibrancy that gave it relevance in the past.

“This is also the students’ body which, in the past, stopped anti-people governments across Africa on their track.

“It should be recalled that it was the predecessor of NANS, the National Union of Nigerian Students that stopped the government of First Republic from going ahead with the widely derided Anglo-Nigerian Defence pact.

“For our students, who are regarded as leaders of tomorrow, to acknowledge a fellow like Kashamu as its mentor is a shame and is condemnable?”

NANS has come under criticism recently over its relationships with politicians, especially its endorsement of candidates during the last general elections.

Kashamu's award has also divided members of the union.