By Williams Anuku, Abuja
The national delegates conference of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has produced a new President, Sunday Asefon.
Asefon, beat 12 other contestants to emerge President of the apex students body.
He is an undergraduate of Ekiti State University Ado-Ekiti and is studying Public sector and Administrative Governance.
Prior to his emergence, the election was almost marred by violence as of Thursday night.
Elendu Reports gathered from an inside source that all was going on well initially, following the successful clearance of all the contestants standing for elective offices.
Pandemonium, however, broke out as the elections were about to commence proper last night. sporadic shootings were heard around the old parade ground where the elections took place.
The situation was later brought under control by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), before the elections kicked off in earnest.
Some of the culprits of the mayhem had been apprehended and weapons recovered from them equally lodged with the police at Garki district.
The violence which almost marred the NANS election on Thursday night at the Old Parade ground was not unexpected, according to our sources.
Elendu Reports was told by several credible sources that the students’ body elections are usually a test of superiority by rival gangs who sponsor candidates.
“Normally part of the preparations for NANS election is the sourcing of arms and money. The candidates are usually sponsored by gangs. They have to protect their investment so they come heavily armed,” a source told our reporter.
Another source said, “NANS election is no longer a student’s affair. Politicians and public office holders sponsor candidates. They supply money for logistics which includes the purchase of arms. Everyone knows it. Why do you think the DSS was there?”
All the sources we spoke to agreed that Thursday’s election was not as violent as previous occasions.
“There’s no report of casualties so far. Normally people are shot and butchered with knives. It’s no longer about grammar like when you guys went to school. Now its about power and money. People are ever ready to kill and die for those,” a source told Elendu Reports.