The Senate has passed two amendment bills seeking to clearly define the host communities of the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and the Federal College of Education in Bende Federal Constituency, Abia State.
Under the proposed amendments, the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences will be domiciled in Bende town, while the Federal College of Education will be situated in Ethem Bende.
The bills, earlier passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, are aimed at removing ambiguities in the establishment laws of the two institutions and preventing possible disputes between the affected communities.
The amendment 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, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North, said the amendments were necessary to provide legal clarity on the respective locations and host communities of the institutions.
He explained that the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences would be located in Bende town, while the Federal College of Education would be domiciled in Ethem Bende.
Monguno urged senators to support the bills, stressing that the clarification would ensure that each institution had a clearly established host community.
Both bills scaled second reading before being referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration. They were subsequently considered, adopted and passed through third reading.
Commenting on the development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the amendments as minor but significant legislative adjustments capable of averting misunderstandings and communal disagreements.
He commended the House of Representatives for identifying and addressing the ambiguity, expressing optimism that presidential assent to the bills would promote peaceful coexistence among the affected communities.
Akpabio also congratulated the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, for sponsoring the legislative initiative.
He further applauded both chambers of the National Assembly for addressing an issue which, despite appearing minor, could have far-reaching implications for peace and harmonious relations in the area.
With the Senate’s passage of the two amendment bills, they will now be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
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