For the second time in two years, the House of Representatives on Thursday directed that the Presidential Scholarship Scheme on Innovation and Development should be suspended pending its scrutiny of its process, procedures and beneficiaries.

The House committee chairman on education, Hon. Aminu Suleiman, who chaired a public hearing on the matter, expressed regrets that its previous decision was jettisoned by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) with the support of the ex-minister of education, Nyesom Wike.

"Last year we asked for the exercise to be stopped and reversed because some parts of the country felt cheated. Unfortunately, the Executive Secretary of the NUC through the directive of the former minister of education and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), snubbed us.

"But the committee allowed it to pass believing that a lesson would have been learnt. But here we are again. The same process is being adopted.”

In response, the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Prof. Julius Okojie, insisted that qualification for the scholarship is based on merit and not federal character. He explained that only first class graduates are involved.

Stressing that out of the multiple entries, only 100 applicants are selected as beneficiaries, Okojie advised that the scheme should not be scrapped.

He said he would not be a party to deliberately design a system that would exclude some parts of the country. "Unless we are saying that the criteria have to change, I will not advise that the programme should be scrapped," he emphasized, pointing out that whatever transpired at the meeting he would relay to the President.

But again, Suleiman reminded him that "the issues you raised this afternoon are similar to the ones you gave us last year."

He noted that Wike truncated the decision of the House. "You continue to argue that there are some states of the federation that cannot make first class degrees."

He faulted the NUC scribe for failing to provide the advertisement the commission made for the awards of scholarships, the list of applicants and the members of the board that selected the beneficiaries and how many times the board sat.

Saying that the committee wanted these details to ascertain why two-thirds of the country was excluded from the programme, the committee chairman observed : "You didn't get back to us.

"The only thing we saw was the ceremony on television where the former minister tried to set parents against the National Assembly.

"It is our belief in this committee that there is no state in the country where you cannot find a first class graduate. Those questions we asked last year are still valid."

Suleiman then ruled: "Until that is done, we will stop the process."


http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/house-again-suspends-scholarship-scheme-on-innovation-development/207581/

North again...Let them advertise it and set uniform cut off mark for every participant..The best performers will get the schorladhip irrespective of tribe..meritocracy must thrive over federal character

Why don't the rest of Nigeria put food in their mouth!
Monkey dey work..Baboon dey chop smh


This country self! Let's see what the no-go school leader will help turn it into...

Oooo
The "kings are angry"
Pls which north go get scholarship
I beg maybe dem think na voting be d criterion for d selection of d winner

What makes d scheme bad
"NORTH ARE NOT INCLUDED"

Hw can some1 who needs just 2 marks to get into unity school ,needs 150 to gain admission comes out with real First class

1st class na beans

Anyway if d east fails to force their son to take at least 50% of d oil blocs I just pity dem
See Hw they are claiming Nigeria

As long as the initial process was transparent,even if all Aminu Suleiman wants are put in place,the same pattern of results would be recorded.
This house committee chairman should go find out why the north is not churning out 1st class graduates then he should go back and evaluate his performance in the position he occupies with special reference to the north.

What the House has requested the PRESSID to submit are in order. The requested evidence will go a long way in establishing whether fairness was employed in selecting the beneficiaries.

At least if you say no first class candidates from a certain part of the country applied, then present the list of applicants to verify your claim. As simple as ABC.

Smh for these people

The slaves and Vultures from the South come here and defend your masters.
Both of you are the one keeping this country backward.

Its all about the north anyway the tide has changed every thing will have to flow their way

nonsense . federal character sucks. not our fault they are dull na.

CyerSeries:
North again...Let them advertise it and set uniform cut off mark for every participant..The best performers will get the schorladhip irrespective of tribe..meritocracy must thrive over federal character

The Programme is based on merit and not quota system.

HzRF:
Oooo
The "kings are angry"
Pls which north go get scholarship
I beg maybe dem think na voting be d criterion for d selection of d winner

What makes d scheme bad
"NORTH ARE NOT INCLUDED"

Hw can some1 who needs just 2 marks to get into unity school ,needs 150 to gain admission comes out with real First class

1st class na beans

Anyway if d east fails to force their son to take at least 50% of d oil blocs I just pity dem
See Hw they are claiming Nigeria

If you have never been to the North before, ask those of your friends who have. Any student from the North who got second class can challenge any of you with first class. We dont give out degrees in the North through prostitution and cultism. Ask Jega.
The house leaders simply asked for transparency in the schorlarship scheme and you are tailking of federal character. Why are you people so boastfull of wrong doing?

hehe!
northerners.
i think say them no want western education?

Ok

AnambraDota:
The slaves and Vultures from the South come here and defend your masters.
Both of you are the one keeping this country backward.

When will you start reasoning like a human

This Federal Character bullshìt is becoming a laughing stock. We should promote Meritocracy at all time,in every area of our national life.

These Northerners should calm down abeg. What is it sef?
PRESSID is based on merit and not federal character. Is that too difficult to understand?

AnambraDota:
The slaves and Vultures from the South come here and defend your masters.
Both of you are the one keeping this country backward.

You are better ignored cos your brain has truly dota.

Wike didn't let them have their way, he's not cut out for that nonsense. Now that one of their own is president, it will be easier for the program to be compromised to satisfy their selfish wishes.

We are in trouble in this country, the same nonsense they did with the unity schools, where someone with 1% from the north is given admission while someone from the south with 50% doesn't get admission...


I wonder why PRESSID should be suspended all in the name of northerners not being on the list, the useless federal character nonsense always takes precedence over merit...SMH

PassingShot:
What the House has requested the PRESSID to submit are in order. The requested evidence will go a long way in establishing whether fairness was employed in selecting the beneficiaries.

At least if you say no first class candidates from a certain part of the country applied, then present the list of applicants to verify your claim. As simple as ABC.

Once they mentioned WikeD's name I knew wuruwuru most be involved.

everything you do they must talk...yes they must talk ooo...na them get their mouth..

CyerSeries:
North again...Let them advertise it and set uniform cut off mark for every participant..The best performers will get the schorladhip irrespective of tribe..meritocracy must thrive over federal character

you alwys live by stories I guess. For example:

1. ojukwu is a hero. Even we knew he ran away.

2. We are the majority in Lagos. And yet ur vote for agbaje proved u very wrong.

3. We are the backbone of the economy. Yet how many production company Igbo people get? U guys are into buying and selling. And if u produce, na fake.

4. We are the first in education. Yet, ur arguments are insipid, vapid, lacking facts and figures. And even a certificateless buhari had more sense dn ur doctor...


In a but shell, do u just believed that northerners are dullards? If course, since the stories say so.

Did any of u c d advertisement for d scholarships..... Did any of u hear of a board that sat to choose d winners.... Who were d members of d board, e.t.c. These r all questions that need to be answered. If the process is transparent as I believe it is, then they should just answer those questions....... kini big deal. (except if t isnt)

hardywaltz:

Once they mentioned WikeD's name I knew wuruwuru most be involved.

Was Wike involved in selection process - No

Why should Nyesom Wike please your so-called Northern Legislators by setting aside the commissions Standards.

For your information, every region is equally represented in the PRESSID selection board/committee hence the suspicion is unwarranted, ridiculous and borne out of bigotry.

AnambraDota:
The slaves and Vultures from the South come here and defend your masters.
Both of you are the one keeping this country backward.

Buddahmonk, When will you have sense Ebuka? At your old age, you still post trash everywhere. Your hatred for the SW get as e be. Smh

Must everything be quota system?!

The committee has clearly stated that it is merit based.

Yet the house wants to stop it because there is no northerner.

These peeps keep dragging this country backwards.