The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Campaign Council in Ebonyi State has called on the state government to publicly disclose the beneficiaries and financial details of its local and foreign postgraduate scholarship programme.
The demand was made on Sunday, September 20, 2026, by Chief Emmanuel Igwe, spokesperson to the PDP governorship candidate, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, following reports that another batch of Ebonyi scholarship beneficiaries had departed for the United Kingdom.
Igwe acknowledged that the scholarship programme could contribute to human-capital development but said the initiative should be subjected to public scrutiny because it is funded with public resources.
He called on the state government to publish the names of beneficiaries, their universities and courses of study, as well as details of tuition, accommodation, allowances and the total amount paid for each student.
“Ebonyians have the right to know how much public money is being committed to this programme,” Igwe said.
The PDP spokesperson also questioned the financial figures associated with the programme and called for a comprehensive breakdown of funds committed and disbursed.
Available reports indicate that the state’s postgraduate scholarship programme targets 1,000 beneficiaries, comprising 300 students for overseas studies and 700 for postgraduate studies within Nigeria. The figures have also been cited by the Chairman of the Ebonyi State Scholarship Board, Chief Chaka Nweze.
Reports on the programme have previously stated that overseas beneficiaries receive support covering tuition, accommodation and living expenses. A state government-linked publication reported that the overseas component is expected to reach 300 beneficiaries by September 2026.
Igwe asked the government to provide documentary details showing where beneficiaries are studying, the costs involved and the amounts already released.
He stressed that the PDP’s position, according to him, was not opposition to government investment in education but a demand for transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.
The PDP spokesman further alleged that the programme could be vulnerable to abuse without publicly accessible records, while acknowledging that any allegation of financial misconduct would ultimately require documentary evidence.
He urged the state government to publish the relevant records, saying this would enable members of the public to independently assess the programme and resolve questions surrounding its implementation.
The call comes amid continued implementation of Ebonyi’s postgraduate scholarship scheme, which has been presented by the state government and its officials as a major human-capital development initiative.
By Enitan Mudashiru | MUK TV News
