'We Will Buy Your Form': South-East Students Pledge N183 Billion Worth of Support for Tinubu's 2027 Re-election

NANS chapter cites student loan scheme as game-changer, promises 20,000-strong youth rally for president's second term

The South-East zone of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Tinubu's re-election bid, pledging to mobilize funds to purchase his Expression of Interest form and organize a 20,000-strong youth endorsement rally ahead of the 2027 elections.

The declaration, made Monday at the Education Trust Fund Hall of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University's Igbariam campus in Anambra State, signals a significant shift in youth political alignment in a region traditionally skeptical of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The Student Loan Argument

Speaking at an event themed "Discovering Purpose and Working in Ordination 2026," NANS South-East Coordinator Okoye Okpala framed the students' support as a response to tangible policies rather than partisan loyalty.

"Under Tinubu's leadership, Nigerian students have witnessed a historic intervention in the education sector through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund," Okpala said. "The approval of the zero-interest students' loan scheme policy has become a lifeline for over 983,706 Nigerian students who had already benefited with more than ₦183 billion disbursed so far."

He contrasted this with what he described as threats to the program from opposition quarters, specifically calling out former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi.

"We have heard statements from the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, suggesting that the students' loan scheme would be halted if he is elected. As someone whose responsibility is to defend students' interests, I must ask: what happens to the hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries?"

'A Restoration of Dignity'

Okpala painted a picture of higher education access transformed by the loan scheme, arguing that financial barriers had long excluded brilliant but impoverished students from pursuing their dreams.

"For years, many brilliant young Nigerians were forced to abandon their dreams, not because they lacked intelligence, but because they lacked financial support. Some deferred admissions. Some dropped out. Some never returned to school," he said.

"The zero-interest loan scheme by the current administration has restored dignity, opportunity, and hope to thousands of families across this nation. That is inclusive leadership."

Mobilizing Youth Support

Beyond the pledge to fund Tinubu's nomination form—which currently costs N50 million for the Expression of Interest and N40 million for the nomination form—NANS South-East promised to mobilize over 20,000 youths and students for a second-term endorsement rally.

Okpala emphasized that the support was based on "measurable impact" rather than sentiment.

"Leadership must be measured by what it does for the people, especially for the youth who embody the future of the nation. The students must continue to choose progress, opportunity, and inclusive leadership above any other consideration," he said.

Political Significance

The endorsement carries particular weight given the South-East's historical voting patterns. The region has traditionally been a stronghold of opposition parties, with the Labour Party sweeping the zone in the 2023 elections.

A significant youth realignment toward Tinubu could reshape political calculations ahead of 2027, potentially giving the president a foothold in a region that has remained largely beyond APC's reach.

For the students who gathered at the Igbariam campus, the calculus was simpler: a policy that keeps them in school, reduces financial burden, and secures their academic future deserves support—regardless of the party that delivered it.