The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has vehemently denied allegations that it transferred ₦325 million to the Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
This rebuttal follows claims circulated on social media suggesting that the funds were disbursed between October 2023 and October 2024.
The allegations were tied to a letter purportedly written by Patricia Yakubu, the APC Woman Leader in Adamawa State, to the National Security Adviser.
Yakubu’s letter alleged that the funds were facilitated by TETFund through contractors linked to Adamawa State educational institutions.
In a statement released on Wednesday, TETFund described the allegations as “preposterous” and “a great disservice to the nation.”
The statement was signed by Abdulmumin Oniyangi, TETFund’s Director of Public Affairs, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Sunny Echono.
TETFund categorically denied engaging in any form of political funding or financial support for political parties.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the insinuation is not only preposterous and totally false, but also a great disservice to the nation,” the statement read.
The agency emphasized that it is solely focused on its statutory mandate of funding tertiary education in Nigeria.
TETFund clarified that General Murtala Mohammed College (GMMC) in Yola, mentioned in the allegations, is not a beneficiary of TETFund projects.
The agency further explained that while the Federal College of Education (FCE) Yola is a TETFund beneficiary, it independently handles contractor engagements in line with established policies.
“TETFund contracts alleged to have been sold at GMMC Yola cannot be true, as the institution is not a beneficiary,” Oniyangi added.
He described the accusations as a deliberate attempt by “desperate individuals” to tarnish TETFund’s image.
TETFund reassured Nigerians of its commitment to rehabilitating and improving tertiary education across the country.
The agency said it has maintained a steadfast dedication to this mission over the years, a commitment it intends to strengthen under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
It also urged critics to verify their facts before making baseless claims.
“Allegations of this nature, sponsored by desperate individuals, have become a trend in recent times,” the statement added.
The allegations have sparked mixed reactions, with some Nigerians questioning the credibility of the claims.
A political analyst, Dr. Ibrahim Suleiman, said the allegations appear to be an attempt to create a scandal where none exists.
“Without concrete evidence, this kind of accusation only distracts from the real issues affecting education in Nigeria,” he said.
Others called on the government to investigate the claims thoroughly to ensure transparency in public institutions.
TETFund has called on the public to disregard the unsubstantiated claims.
The agency also reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and mismanagement of funds.
“We remain focused on our primary mandate, which is the funding of tertiary education in Nigeria,” Oniyangi said.
