The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the 2027 general elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has described the Federal Government’s student loan policy as a crime against Nigerians, insisting that education should be free, compulsory, and of high quality.
Newsextra24 reports that Adebayo, who spoke in an interview with Vanguard after emerging as the SDP presidential candidate, said Nigeria’s education system was being weakened by what he described as poor policy choices and deliberate lowering of standards.
Adebayo was most critical of the Federal Government’s student loan policy, describing it as unconstitutional and unfair to young Nigerians.
Asked whether he would continue student loans if elected, he said, “Student loans are a crime.”
Pressed further, he added, “Yes. It’s a crime against the constitution and against the people.”
The SDP candidate said education should not be funded through student loans, arguing that many current political leaders benefited from free education.
He said, “Why should students borrow money for education if education is supposed to be free, compulsory, and qualitative? The National Assembly members didn’t take loans for their own education. They enjoyed free education.
“Education should be free because if you don’t invest in your people, you destroy your society. You will turn scientists into taxi drivers. You destroy civilization, and insecurity grows because the people who should become innovators are abandoned. That is the kind of society APC is creating.”
Adebayo said a government that refuses to invest in education would create a society marked by unemployment, insecurity and wasted talent.
He maintained that the SDP would prioritise public education, social welfare and institutional accountability if elected in 2027.
He also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of focusing more on electoral victory than solving the daily problems of Nigerians, including food, transport, healthcare, jobs and education.
The SDP candidate said his party would pursue what he called “kitchen table politics,” which he explained as a governance philosophy centred on the everyday survival needs of ordinary Nigerians.
