Former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa has revealed that 1.6 million tertiary students have received financial support from the National Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). He disclosed this on Sunday during a visit by the national leadership of Working People United (WPU) in Asaba. According to Okowa, many of the beneficiaries had initially dismissed NELFUND as a scam but are now enrolled and receiving assistance. He urged Nigerians who remain skeptical about the loan scheme to participate, describing it as part of President Bola Tinubu's broader reform agenda.
Okowa listed NELFUND alongside electricity sector deregulation, subsidy removal, and the proposed state police initiative as key reforms under the current administration. He stated that Tinubu took office at a time when his leadership was "really needed" and expressed confidence that Nigerians would come to appreciate the government's efforts. The former governor also said the president deserves a second term to complete the ongoing reforms. He called on WPU members to mobilize support for Tinubu and for Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori ahead of the 2027 elections.
WPU National Coordinator William Akporeha said the group visited Asaba to brief Okowa on its mission and to launch its Delta State chapter. He described WPU as an association of public and private sector workers, self-employed individuals, and artisans. Akporeha pledged the group's support for Okowa's senatorial ambition and conferred patronship of WPU on him during the meeting.
A politician once in power now backs a loan scheme many students distrusted until they received funds. This shift from skepticism to endorsement by a former governor may influence public perception of Tinubu's education reform. Support from organised labour-like groups could strengthen political backing for contentious economic policies.
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