By Ahmed Ahmed
The Coalition of Nigerian Students (CNG) has strongly condemned the recent statement issued by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) against Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed, calling it misleading, politically motivated, and a deliberate misrepresentation of his remarks.
The CNG’s Northeast Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Saleh Ibrahim Saleh made the condemnations at a news conference, on Thursday in Bauchi
He criticised NANS for allegedly abandoning its core mission of advocating for Nigerian students and instead engaging in partisan attacks.
Saleh defended Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed’s stance on governance and youth empowerment, emphasizing that philanthropy should complement governance, not replace it.
According to him, his comments on Seyi Tinubu’s publicized food distribution were not an attack on charity but a call for structured and sustainable solutions for Nigerian youths.
“Handing out cooked food on the streets is not an empowerment program, it is a temporary show that does nothing to change the economic reality of the people,” he stated.
He further highlighted the achievements of Governor Bala Mohammed’s administration in youth empowerment, including investments in ICT development, vocational training, and business startup support.
Saleh noted that over 20,000 youths in Bauchi State have benefited from economic empowerment programs, which provide long-term solutions rather than one-time relief efforts.
The Zonal coordinator also criticized NANS for its silence on critical student issues such as prolonged ASUU strikes, rising tuition fees, and high unemployment rates among graduates.
The group accused NANS of hypocrisy, questioning why it failed to challenge policies that negatively impact students but instead chose to attack Shamsuddeen Bala Mohammed.
He reaffirmed that Nigerian youths need real empowerment through education, business opportunities, and employment rather than temporary publicity stunts disguised as philanthropy.
Comrade Saleh however called on NANS to refocus on its core mandate of protecting students’ rights and urged Nigerian youths to demand sustainable empowerment rather than symbolic handouts.
