Kogi students declare support for Tinubu

By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja

The Kogi State chapter of the Jagaba/Ododo Students’ Mandate 2027 has declared support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, citing government interventions in education, infrastructure, healthcare, agriculture and youth development.

The group made its position known on Tuesday in Lokoja during the launch of its Campus Ambassadors Initiative, a student-focused network expected to operate across 12 tertiary institutions in the state.

Coordinator of the group, Comrade Ibrahimnyass Dende, said the initiative was established to engage students on government policies and programmes and provide a platform for discussing issues affecting their education, welfare and future.

Dende said the group’s support for Tinubu was particularly informed by what it described as government interventions with direct implications for students and young Nigerians, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

NELFUND was established under the Student Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, to provide loans to qualified Nigerian students for tuition, fees and upkeep in approved tertiary and vocational institutions.

According to Dende, more than 1.5 million students had benefited from the scheme, with over N282 billion disbursed as of May 2026. The figure was also contained in a May 2026 anniversary statement by President Tinubu.

He also cited investments in tertiary education infrastructure through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), alongside the expansion of technical and vocational education and training, as factors informing the group’s position.

Dende listed road and rail projects, healthcare interventions, agricultural support and youth-oriented programmes among other areas the group said had influenced its decision to mobilise students ahead of the 2027 elections.

At the state level, he highlighted the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, particularly its interventions in education, healthcare, infrastructure and student welfare.

He cited the state government’s bursary programme, which recently commenced the disbursement of N646.8 million to 20,347 Kogi students, with undergraduate beneficiaries receiving N30,000 and medical students N75,000.

Dende also mentioned infrastructure projects at the Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, and Kogi State University, Kabba, as well as the reported revitalisation of primary healthcare centres across the state.

He listed the ongoing Kogi Cargo Airport project at Kabba Junction, Lokoja, and the Lokoja International Market among projects the group said could expand economic opportunities and create jobs for young people.

Addressing the newly inaugurated campus ambassadors, Dende urged them to engage their fellow students responsibly, organise intellectual discussions and communicate government programmes objectively.

“You are to be worthy representatives. Engage your campuses positively, facilitate constructive discussions, communicate government programmes objectively and bring the genuine concerns of students to the front burner,” he said.

He said the campus network would continue its activities across tertiary institutions in the state as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.

The organisers said the initiative would provide students with a platform to understand government policies, discuss their effects and channel issues affecting the student community to relevant authorities.

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