A fresh controversy has erupted over the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) after President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, and the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) attacked former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye over his claim about the student loan scheme.

The controversy began after Melaye, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleged that NELFUND provides students with only N20,000 annually instead of paying their school fees.

Melaye, in a video circulating online, criticised the Federal Government’s student loan initiative under President Tinubu, describing the scheme as a “haven of corruption.”

His comments triggered a strong reaction from NANS, which accused the former senator of misrepresenting the details of the programme.

The NANS president questioned Melaye’s credibility on education matters, asking what role he played for students while serving as a lawmaker.

“Do people still take Melaye seriously? Melaye is a comedian, a jester,” NANS said, while challenging him to disclose whether he provided scholarships or bursaries for students in his constituency during his time in the Senate.

The student body argued that discussions around education policies should be based on facts and proper understanding of the scheme rather than political attacks.

Backing the NANS position, Onanuga took the criticism further in a post on X, describing Melaye’s claim as false and questioning the basis of his statement.

“NANS President delivers a stinging rebuke to Dino Melaye over his brazen lie that NELFUND gives students only N20,000 per year,” Onanuga wrote.

He added: “You wonder what this former Senator and Atiku campaigner had smoked before going on TV.”

Melaye, a former senator and vocal critic of the Tinubu administration, has yet to publicly respond to Onanuga’s remark.

The clash comes amid ongoing political debates over the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, with supporters highlighting its role in expanding access to tertiary education while critics continue to question its implementation and impact.

The NELFUND programme was introduced by the Tinubu administration to provide financial support for eligible students in Nigerian tertiary institutions.