Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has slammed African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Dino Melaye, over his claims about the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
It was reported that Melaye, in a video making rounds online, described NELFUND as a haven for corruption.
The former lawmaker argued that NELFUND and the Federal Government’s student loan scheme under President Bola Tinubu were questionable.
He questioned the ₦20,000 monthly upkeep allowance provided to student beneficiaries.
Melaye also challenged the administration’s description of the scheme as an initiative to pay students’ school fees, arguing that ₦20,000 could not reasonably cover annual tuition in government-owned tertiary institutions.
In response, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), in a video shared by Onanuga via his 𝕏 handle, mocked Melaye for his claims on NELFUND.
According to NANS: “Do people still take Melaye seriously? Melaye is a comedian, a jester, and he must be a slow-witted human being because anybody that takes him seriously is very unfortunate.
“When people want to talk about education policy in this country, it shouldn’t be Dino Melaye. He was a member of the 8th Senate, and I think he was one of the strongest members who was close to the Senate President.
“What was his policy on education? What did he do for the students in his constituency? Melaye should come out and tell us if he has given N5,000 scholarships or bursaries to students in his constituency.”
In the comment, Onanuga wondered what Melaye had smoked before going on Television to claim that NELFUND gives students only ₦20,000 yearly.
He wrote, “NANS President delivers a stinging rebuke to Dino Melaye over his brazen lie that NELFUND gives students only N20,000 per year.
“You wonder what this former Senator and Atiku campaigner had smoked before going on TV.”