Senate averts communal rift over Abia institutions

The Senate on Tuesday passed two amendment bills seeking to clearly distinguish the host communities of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and the Federal College of Education in Bende, Abia State, in a move aimed at preventing potential communal disputes over the locations of the institutions.

Under the amendments, the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences will be domiciled in Bende town, while the Federal College of Education will be located in Ethem Bende.

The bills, transmitted by the House of Representatives for concurrence, seek to amend the establishment laws of the two federal institutions to remove ambiguity over their respective locations and host communities.

The bills are the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Ethem Bende (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (HB.2775), and the Federal College of Education, Bende (Establishment) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (HB.2776).

Leading the debate, the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, representing Borno North, said the amendments were necessary to clearly define the locations of the institutions and their respective host communities.

He said, “While the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences would be domiciled in Bende town, the Federal College of Education would be located in Ethem Bende.

“The bills had already passed the necessary legislative stages in the House of Representatives and were before the Senate for concurrence.”

Monguno urged his colleagues to support the bills, noting that the clarification would ensure that each institution had a clearly defined host community.

The bills passed second reading before being referred to the Committee of the Whole for clause-by-clause consideration.

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Following their consideration, the Senate adopted both bills and passed them through third reading.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, described the amendments as minor but important legal corrections that could prevent misunderstandings and communal disagreements between the affected communities.

He commended the House of Representatives for identifying the need to address the ambiguity surrounding the host communities of the two institutions.

Akpabio expressed hope that presidential assent to the amended laws would eliminate potential sources of friction and promote peaceful coexistence among the communities.

“I congratulate the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, for sponsoring the legislative initiative,” he said.

The Senate President also praised both chambers of the National Assembly for addressing what he described as a seemingly minor issue with significant implications for peaceful relations between the communities.

The two institutions are located in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, where the amendments seek to establish a clear distinction between their respective host communities.

With the Senate’s passage of the bills, the proposed amendments will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.