Agbedi Faults Kalu Over Tuition Waiver Motion, Cites House Rules

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Fred Agbedi, has criticised Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu over his decision to invite the House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, to address lawmakers on a proposed one-year tuition fee waiver for students in federal tertiary institutions after the motion had been stepped down.

Agbedi argued that the action violated the House Rules, maintaining that the proposal was no longer before the chamber for further debate following the decision to defer it.

The disagreement arose after the motion’s sponsor, Ahmed Satomi, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Borno State, announced that he was stepping down the proposal following consultations with Ihonvbere, who had addressed some concerns surrounding the initiative.

Citing Order 8, Statute 1, which governs the arrangement of business in the House, Agbedi questioned why the Deputy Speaker had invited the House Leader to speak on a matter that had already been removed from consideration.

He also challenged the rationale behind the proposed waiver, arguing that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) Act had established a framework for providing financial assistance to eligible students.

According to Agbedi, introducing a general tuition payment arrangement through a motion could conflict with the existing legislation governing student loans.

He insisted that inviting Ihonvbere to address the chamber after the motion had been stepped down was procedurally improper. Kalu rejected the objection and ruled Agbedi out of order.

Following the exchange, Kalu invited Ihonvbere to brief lawmakers on NELFUND’s performance since the scheme began operating.

The House Leader disclosed that the fund had disbursed ₦372.6 billion to students and tertiary institutions as of September 29, 2026.

He said ₦192.9 billion had been paid directly to tertiary institutions to cover tuition fees, while ₦79.7 billion had been provided to students as monthly upkeep allowances.

Ihonvbere also reported that NELFUND had received more than 2.3 million applications, with 319 institutions covered by the scheme and approximately 1.66 million students benefiting.

He urged lawmakers to inform constituents about the programme and encourage eligible students to apply, noting that the application process could be completed online without personal connections or visits to government offices.

The proposed tuition waiver was introduced against the backdrop of rising living costs following the Federal Government’s economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy.

In his motion, Satomi argued that increasing expenses for food, transportation, accommodation, electricity and other essential services had made it increasingly difficult for parents and guardians to finance tertiary education.

He warned that students in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education could be forced to abandon their studies, defer their programmes or endure prolonged financial hardship because of their families’ inability to meet tuition fees and other compulsory charges.

The proposal called on the Federal Government to introduce a one-year emergency tuition fee waiver for eligible students in federal universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other federal tertiary institutions.

It also urged federal and state governments to ensure that any relief programme was time-bound, regularly reviewed and adequately funded without compromising the quality or sustainability of tertiary education.