An aspirant for the presidency of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Dotun Opaleye, has criticised the appointment of Dele Kenko as Chairman of the association’s Independent Convention Planning Committee (ICPC).
The appointment was announced last Saturday by NANS President, Olushola Oladoja, during a pre-convention meeting in Delta State. Oladoja, who was elected at the February 27, 2025 convention in Abuja for a one-year tenure, is expected to oversee the transition ahead of fresh executive elections.
In a statement issued on Monday, Opaleye argued that appointing a committee chairman from the same geopolitical zone expected to produce the next NANS president breaks longstanding tradition within the association.
He described the move as controversial and capable of undermining transparency and confidence in the forthcoming convention.
“The appointment of Dele Kenko as the NANS ICPC Chairman is a blight on the hitherto sterling administration of Olushola Oladoja,” Opaleye said, calling for an immediate reversal and the selection of a chairman from another zone to ensure balance and neutrality.
He further alleged that the decision could cast doubt on the legitimacy of the convention’s outcome, insisting that there is no precedent for such an appointment in the association’s history. Efforts to reach Oladoja for comment were unsuccessful as of press time.
Meanwhile, the Forum of Zonal Coordinators of NANS has expressed confidence in the process. In a statement signed by the North Central Zonal Coordinator and Chairman of the Forum, Hussaini Ebbo, the group congratulated Oladele Omotayo, popularly known as Dele Kenko, on his appointment and described it as a reflection of trust in his integrity and capacity.
The forum reaffirmed its commitment to a free, fair, and credible convention, urging the committee to remain impartial and guided by due process while calling on aspirants to cooperate with the ICPC.
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