“I used a little above £1,000, all of my life’s savings and meager contributions from my peasant family members, friends and community to pay a deposit to a top UK University with the hope that I would resume school by September 2015” This is the story of a lady (name withheld) who was one of the winners of the 2015/2016 Presidential Special Scholarship Scheme for Innovations and Development (PRESSID), a programme initiated by Nigeria’s former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to sponsor Nigeria’s brightest scholars (First Class Graduates) to any of the top 25 Universities in the World.

Following the announcement of the award winners in April 16, 2015, the scholars who are meant to have resumed to their various universities by August/September are still yet to receive their award letters which have been prepared. The Whistle investigations revealed that President Buhari has refused to grant go ahead to the Nigerian Universities Commission, the agency in charge of this program based on the outcry by influential leaders in the North on the absence of a core Northerner in the list which was clearly merit based. The Whistle can confirm from a source within the NUC, that the Award letters of the winners of the scholarship scheme have since been prepared dated April, but immediately stopped as soon as the Elections were announced in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari as Northerners hijacked the system. The Whistle on speaking with the group confirmed that millions of naira have been spent by the awardees numbering 102 and family in making admissions applications, logistics and pursuing the scholarship in Abuja where most of the recipients of the award are not domiciled. We also confirmed that several letters have been written to the President and the Executive Secretary of the NUC since May, but the 2015/2016 group is yet to receive even an acknowledgement of the writings. Discussions with relevant stakeholder have since pointed us to the direction of the Presidency as the matter is currently beyond them. They confessed to helplessness and empathized with the suffering scholarship award winners of the 3rd Edition 2015/2016 whose only hindrance is being from a certain part of the country.

- See more at: http://www.thewhistleng.com/investigation-pressid-scandal-many-tears-buhari-punishing-first-class-graduates-on-goodluck-jonathans-scholarship/#sthash.Gk7Kwfuh.dpuf
- See more at: http://www.thewhistleng.com/investigation-pressid-scandal-many-tears-buhari-punishing-first-class-graduates-on-goodluck-jonathans-scholarship/#sthash.Gk7Kwfuh.dpuf

sad, however the 'merit basing' should have included some northerner students who are as intelligent as other Nigerians. I beleive ABU zaria and UDU sokoto also graduates first class students every year.

So sad!

This is a case of what is good for pepeyee should also be good for tolotoloo,south south president southern agenda,northern president northern agenda,jonah for try balance am geographically.

INTROVERT:
sad, however the 'merit basing' should have included some northerner students who are as intelligent as other Nigerians. I beleive ABU zaria and UDU sokoto also graduates first class students every year.

But there more Northerners on the scholarship selection board.

When a first class student forgets what he/she learned in school after a year or two and then performs woefully during a merit test and interview, who do you blame?

phrancys001:
This is a case of what is good for pepeyee should also be good for tolotoloo,south south president southern agenda,northern president northern agenda,jonah for try balance am geographically.

How? By using the federal character they are planing to abolish since a Northerner assumed office.
Or better still, use the same quota system they've used to infiltrate the armed forces which has been the major reason we have not been able to win the war on BH.
The fact remains that it is a pity we have a man as the head without a head. When he never attempted Economics, Government as courses in the Mohamed Buhari's certificate. He had Mathematics and wood work F9 and we are expecting miracle to happen.