The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has announced plans to mobilise 10 million votes across the six geopolitical zones of the country for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
The NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Afeez, disclosed this on Wednesday when a delegation of national student leaders from across the country visited Vice President Kashim Shettima at the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Afeez said the association had constituted the NANS National Election Mobilisation Committee to coordinate the mobilisation drive ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said Nigerian students, whom he described as the country’s largest constituency with the highest voting bloc, would unite in support of Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
“As we approach another defining period in our nation’s history, we consider it necessary to state clearly where we stand as Nigerian students. As core progressives, we identify with the Renewed Hope Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
The NANS president added, “We have constituted the NANS National Election Mobilisation Committee with the mandate to mobilise 10 million votes across the six geopolitical zones, and, like never before, we will speak in one voice, aloud, at the polls.”
Afeez said the association’s support for the Tinubu administration was based on what it described as the government’s programmes and policies across different sectors, particularly education.
He singled out the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), saying the initiative had helped address financial challenges that previously threatened the ability of many students to continue their education.
“For many years, financial hardship has forced many Nigerian students out of school. However, with NELFUND, our academic lives are no longer in doubt or threatened. Education has been made accessible to all,” he said.
The NANS president said the association would defend the principle behind the student loan initiative while advocating its continuity and sustainability, adding that students intended to use their voting strength to support the administration’s return to office.
Speaking at the meeting, Vice President Shettima urged Nigerian students to take an active role in national decision-making, stressing that young people should be recognised as stakeholders in the country’s present rather than merely its future.
He said the Tinubu administration’s interventions in education, including the student loan programme and efforts to improve the welfare of academic staff, were aimed at reducing the financial burden on families and ensuring that students could complete their studies without recurring disruptions.
“We do not need you for politics. We need you because you are the future of this country. What we have done differently is to give you a place in its present. There is no way to rebuild Nigeria without a place for the Nigerian student at the table where decisions are made,” Shettima said.
The Vice President also said the President was determined to sustain a more stable academic calendar in tertiary institutions through reforms in education financing, student welfare and engagement with lecturers.
“We are determined that recurring strikes should cease to dictate your academic calendar,” he said.
Shettima described NELFUND as one of the administration’s significant interventions in education, noting that financial support could help students remain in school despite economic difficulties.
He said easing the immediate burden of school funding on parents would give families greater financial breathing space and allow students to concentrate on their studies.
The Vice President also identified the appointment of Hon. Sunday Asefon Dayo as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Students’ Engagement as part of efforts to strengthen communication between the Federal Government and the student community.
He urged student leaders to engage the government honestly, including when they disagreed with its policies.
“A government that hears only applause deprives itself of the knowledge required to serve,” Shettima said.
He assured the delegation that the administration would continue to prioritise education, student welfare and youth inclusion as part of its human-capital development agenda.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) and the National Association of Nigerian Colleges of Education Students (NANCES).
