NELFUND Speaks On Student Loans, Reveals Why APC Members Children Cannot Be Favoured

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has dismissed claims that the Federal Government’s student loan scheme gives preferential treatment to children of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

NELFUND Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Akintunde Sawyerr, described the allegation as unfounded, explaining that the scheme operates through an electronic application system designed to assess applicants based on objective eligibility requirements.

Sawyerr made the clarification while appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, where he argued that the system does not have the capacity to identify or prioritise applicants according to their political affiliations.

According to him, many of the students eligible for the programme are either not old enough to vote or may only be voting for the first time, making the suggestion that the scheme is being used to favour members of a political party difficult to establish.

He explained that applicants are required to apply electronically and provide information such as their names and matriculation numbers. Applicants must also be enrolled in eligible public institutions to access the scheme.

Sawyerr stressed that the application system is built around predetermined eligibility conditions rather than political, ethnic or religious considerations.

He further stated that the platform does not discriminate against applicants based on gender, tribe or religion, noting that the system is designed to serve eligible Nigerian students regardless of their personal backgrounds.

The NELFUND chief executive maintained that the focus of the student loan scheme is to provide financial support to qualified Nigerian students and not to promote any political interest.

He therefore urged Nigerians to judge the programme based on its eligibility criteria and implementation rather than allegations of political favouritism.