The President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, has dissociated the student body from a publication suggesting that he advised politicians ahead of the 2026 Osun State governorship election not to challenge Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Akinteye, in a rebuttal issued on Monday, described the publication, titled “Osun 2026: Don’t Fight Popular Leaders Like Adeleke – NANS President Advises,” as misleading, insisting that it misrepresented the context of his personal social media post.
According to him, the statement referenced in the report was a personal political reflection shared on his private social media platform and should not be construed as an official position of NANS.
He stressed that the post neither endorsed Governor Adeleke, his administration nor any political party ahead of the 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
“The statement was a personal political reflection. It was neither an official statement of the National Association of Nigerian Students nor a policy position of the association,” he said.
Akinteye explained that his comment merely highlighted a general political principle that leaders who enjoy widespread public acceptance are often difficult opponents during elections, noting that the observation was based on historical and democratic realities rather than partisan considerations.
He maintained that the publication’s interpretation of the post as an endorsement was inaccurate and capable of creating a false impression about the position of the student body on partisan political issues.
The NANS President reiterated his commitment to political neutrality in the discharge of his official responsibilities, emphasizing that his primary mandate remains the protection of the welfare, rights and educational interests of Nigerian students regardless of political affiliation.
He urged media organisations to uphold the ethics of journalism by ensuring that headlines accurately reflect the context of public statements and avoid sensationalism capable of misleading readers.
Akinteye added that NANS had not adopted any position on the 2026 Osun governorship election and would continue to remain non-partisan in the pursuit of its statutory responsibilities to Nigerian students.
