RismadarVoice Reporters, May 24, 2026
Moments after he was freshly confirmed as the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ahead of the 2027 elections, Adewole Adebayo has criticised Nigeria’s education financing system, describing student loans as “a crime against the constitution and the people.”
In an interview with newsmen, Adebayo argued that education should be free, compulsory, and adequately funded by the state, insisting that placing financial burdens on students undermines national development.
He maintained that countries that fail to invest in education risk damaging their future, warning that weak policies could turn “scientists into taxi drivers” and deepen unemployment and insecurity.
According to him, the introduction of student loans reflects poor governance priorities and shifts responsibility away from the government, which he believes should fully fund education as a public good.
Adebayo further said that many political leaders benefited from free education and should not impose repayment systems on today’s students.
He added that the SDP’s governance philosophy is focused on social welfare, particularly education, healthcare, jobs, and living standards, which he described as “kitchen table issues” affecting everyday Nigerians.
The SDP candidate also used the interview to criticise what he called declining educational standards in the country, arguing that reforms must strengthen rather than weaken academic quality and access.
