I will give every student in tertiary institutions a grant of N100,000 per semester if I become president, says Sowore
Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), says Nigerians will beg him to stay beyond the constitutional limit of two terms in office if he becomes president.
Sowore spoke on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television.
Speaking on the naira redesign, Sowore said the funds used for redesigning the naira should have been channelled to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The AAC presidential candidate said if elected president, he will not concentrate on redesigning the naira, but seek ways to improve the value of the country’s currency.
On his educational policy, Sowore said if elected president, his administration will give every student in tertiary institutions a grant of N100,000 per semester.
He also said he will channel efforts into improved revenue for the country through addressing leakages.
“I will never be part of those who ask the private sector to run education in Nigeria. It will be publicly-run education programme. We are focusing on free education,” he said.
“I have said it; every student in Nigeria who is in the higher institution — there are 1.7 million students in higher institutions — will get at least N100,000 per semester as study grant from the federal government. I mean it. I will not make them take loans.
“We don’t need to borrow in my first four years. I have discovered how we can block all the loopholes and make more money.
“I just told you about N11 trillion unremitted revenue. It is sitting in the bank accounts of our MDAs. We can get it. It belongs to the federal government. N11 trillion is a huge amount of money; money owed by oil companies.
“I’m talking to you as a citizen of Nigeria who has operated alone almost virtually, finding money, kicking out sources where money has been hidden, having to provide evidence for stolen money. I have been the person who covered it the most since 2006 through Sahara Reporters.
“When I am telling you these facts, believe them. I know the politicians; I know how they steal, and I know how the money in this country is being filtered.
“I’m not just saying it to lie to you on TV. It is a matter of fact that if you get to work, you will be shocked.
“Nigerians will be begging me to continue in government after my two terms when I do the job that I’m telling you. But I don’t want to do more than two terms; I’m not interested.”