The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged Nigerians to hold political office holders and elected representatives accountable now that the 2023 general elections are approaching.
This was contained in a statement on Monday by the Chairman, NANS, Ogun, Damilola Simeon and National President, National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS), Comrade Ogunrombi Oluwagbemileke, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.
The students expressed concerns that a lot of politicians often make promises during electioneering campaigns, which they do not always accomplish once elected.
“As the 2023 election approaches, it is imperative that we start calling to accountability all our elected political officeholders.
“In the coming days, we shall not be onlookers but pass critical assessment of political office holders so as to charge them for service delivery to the people, especially the people of Ogun State,” NANS said.
The students said they were worried that some of the representatives of the people at the National Assembly, feel that “they are in a retirement house”, saying this must change.
The statement read in part: “One of the fundamental concerns of our constituency is how the representative of the state at the upper chamber at the federal level have continuously justified the public opinion that indeed the senate is just a retirement house for all politicians to continue to enjoy public resources without giving adequate representation to their constituents.
“But as concerned and affected constituents in the state, we are obliged to pass our fair critics and expect responsible accountability from the senators representing the three senatorial districts of Ogun State at the National Assembly.
“Issue of insecurity has become a major problem in the country today and we do feel it is only a collective effort that can help minimise the crises.
“For instance, we have continuously emphasised in the past that only mass education, provision of empowerment program can help reduce the participation of border areas residents of Ogun West in smuggling.
“In conjunction, there is nothing significant that can be traced to the names of these senators as a social intervention in the entire state.
“We are also concerned about the end results of the constituency allowances and funds given to them for constituency projects. In the real sense, no significant project can be identified as an achievement of the three senators.
“In our assessment, we haven’t found any responsible education intervention by them in their constituency. This, therefore, leave us to question our senators what ‘exactly are they doing for the citizens of Ogun State?”
“We are challenging the senators representing the state at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, Sen Ibikunle Amosun, Sen Tolu Odebiyi and Sen Lekan Mustapha, to come out open with the provable list of their developmental projects in their respective constituency,” it stated.