Crisis has once again hit the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), as two factions are currently laying claim to its presidency after two parallel conventions. The first is Mr. Lawal Damilare, a student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, who was elected on Sunday at the Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos.

The other faction is led by Mr. Fani Osabinu, also a student of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), who was elected at the old parade ground, Abuja on 4 June, 2006. Briefing newsmen at the office of the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) in Ikeja, yesterday, the faction led by Mr. Damilare accused the other faction of being sponsored by Aso Rock. Speaking further, he alleged that Mr. Andy Uba, President Olusegun Obasanjo's Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, gave Osabinu’s faction N6 million to organise what he called a "Kangaroo election because they are members of the PDP Youth wing."

It will be recalled that the student body had been entangled in the web of controversy since the former President, Kenneth Hembe, openly endorsed the third term agenda of President Obasanjo and his subsequent impeachment by the association's Senate at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) in March this year.

Culled from PM. News Nigeria

Less than a year to the 2007 elections, supporters of erstwhile military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) are worried that the gap-toothed general has not shown any serious sign of contesting for the presidency. Close aides of Babangida this morning told P.M.News that the general was yet to release money and mobilise his supporters to begin serious campaign for his aspiration.

P.M.News gathered that the Project 2007 National coordinator, Mat Gbanite, has gone to the United States of America following Babangida’s nonchalant attitude to the campaign. Another diehard supporter of Babangida, Chief Alex Akinyele, was also said to have been overheard telling an associate that Babangida was yet to release any money for the campaign, despite the death of the third term campaign.

P.M.News gathered that Babangida considered the defeat of the third term bill a major achievement and so was not keen on ruling the country again but would like to act like a godfather. “IBB knows that he would not get the presidency on a platter of gold and one thing he knows very well is not to stick out his neck on a project that would fail. I think he’s working out a strategy that would make him a relevant godfather in the politics of 2007”, one of Babangida’s trusted allies stated this morning. Most members of the Project 2007, IBB’s campaign group, were said to be disappointed and frustrated that the man was not releasing money as expected to mobilise support for his presidential dream, come 2007. Following this, many of them are said to be studying the situation closely and whether to shift their support to Atiku or other presidential candidates.