The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Hon. Comrade Asefon Sunday, has expressed profound gratitude to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the historic approval of a N45,000 monthly stipend for students enrolled in technical colleges across Nigeria.

In a statement released on Wednesday by his office, Hon. Asefon described the approval as a landmark moment in the history of student welfare in Nigeria.

He noted that the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Tinubu administration to empower youth through technical and vocational education, with a total grant of N120 billion allocated under the new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) scheme.

“This remarkable gesture once again reaffirms President Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to education as a cornerstone of national growth and development,” Hon. Asefon stated.

“His Excellency has demonstrated, through this initiative, his belief in skills-based education and his identity as a truly student-friendly President.”

He further emphasized that the N45,000 monthly stipend is a grant, not a loan, and thus does not require repayment, making it a life-changing opportunity for countless students and their families.

“Today marks a memorable milestone in the hearts of Nigerian students. This grant stands as a testament to President Tinubu’s unmatched generosity and vision for an inclusive educational future.

It is yet another reason why Nigerian students continue to stand solidly with Mr. President,” Asefon added.

He also extended appreciation to the Federal Ministries of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Education, along with all stakeholders who played critical roles in facilitating this initiative.

“I must commend the collaborative efforts of all those who helped bridge the gap between the student community and the Presidency. Your contributions are deeply appreciated.”

PDP acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, has described the seal-off of the party’s secretariat as an attempt to stifle democracy and muzzle the opposition.

He blamed the action on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government and warned that the PDP would not be intimidated.

“I want to tell you—and I’m sure you already know—that our national office has been sealed. This is the height of irresponsibility by this government. If they’re encouraging it, we won’t take it lightly,” he told journalists after a caucus meeting of the party.

they can come and arrest all of us. We are ready. But we totally condemn this. It is unacceptable, and we won’t tolerate it. They are trying to undermine democracy, and they will have us to contend with. This meeting will continue here tomorrow at 10 a.m.”

“As you can see, we’ve adjourned our meeting till tomorrow by 10. We’ve set up a small committee that will report back to us in the morning,” he added. “We’ll properly brief you once the meeting concludes.”

Meanwhile, the party and other alleged defaulters got a reprieve last night, following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention with a 14day grace for them to put their documents in order.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory , Nyesom Wike, has confirmed his decision to pull out of all agreements previously reached to resolve the crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement on Sunday, singned personally by the Minister, he vowed to continue to fight on until justice is served.

Wike pointed out that the party’s problems stem from dishonesty and lack of trust among its key stakeholders, citing non-adherence to agreements reached as the bane of the party.

He specifically mentioned Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, accusing him of being the chief culprit of recent developments in the party that seem to undermine the recoliation efforts

The Minister cited several instances where agreements were breached, including the summoning of a meeting of South-East leaders to recommend the adoption of Ude Okoye as Secretary, and the attempt to have the Deputy National Secretary act as National Secretary.

Wike also mentioned the recent zonal elective congress in Jos, which was aborted due to a dispute over the signatory to the invitation notice.

He expressed disappointment that despite efforts to resolve the crisis, Makinde and others continued to violate agreements.

The Minister noted that he has worked tirelessly for the survival of the party and has contributed substantially to the election victory of some of the governors, but has not had reasons to make any personal demands from them.

He added that he had hoped that there would be trust among major political actors in the party but observed that since they have refused to stop playing games, he has decided to opt out of the peace agreement.

The PDP crisis has taken a new turn with the Minister’s decision to pull out of all agreements, leaving the party’s future uncertain.