Makarfi to introduce student loan if elected

A Presidential aspirant on the platform of the PDP, Sen. Ahmed Markafi, has expressed dismay over the high rate of school dropouts, blaming it on economic challenges.

Makarfi, a former Interim National Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and former Kaduna state governor, disclosed this on Saturday in Ibadan.

He promised to introduce “student loan scheme’’ where genuine students with financial difficulties would borrow and repay when gainfully employed.

According to him, the gesture will force government to create job opportunities for graduates so that such loans can be repaid by the students.

The presidential aspirant who is presently on a nation-wide consultation, appealed to supporters of the party to field only credible candidates for positions in the 2019 general elections.

He said that the choice of credible candidates was crucial in winning elections, pointing out that the electorate was looking for capable candidates who had integrity.

He warned against hurling insults at opponents and appealed to “northerners’’ to play by the rules of the game if they desired to achieve the party’s return to power in 2019.

“People think that before you get votes from the north you have to insult, but when you insult, you lose northern votes.

“They want you to talk on issues, they want integrity and a stable person. They don’t want somebody who is white today, black tomorrow and something else the day after,’’ he said.

Dr. Saka Balogun, a chieftain of the party, lauded the doggedness and commitment of the former governor and interim National Chairman. “I only wish and pray that the PDP members, particularly the delegates, who will elect the candidate will think and choose right. I wish and pray that we will do so.

“You demonstrated integrity when the PDP was almost getting off the list of parties in Nigeria. We have many of them around and some of them still serving as moles in our party.

“I am scared, worried and really disturbed that the standard of integrity you set is already being seriously eroded.

“I hope and believe it will never happen that you may be rigged out through illegal imposition or ingenious manipulations,’’ he said.

Balogun expressed hope that such won’t happen, saying the stage was set for the party to take over at all levels.

According to him, what I am feeling from the headquarters in Abuja does not give me rest of mind.