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, which were earlier passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, are aimed at removing ambiguity in the establishment laws of the two institutions and preventing possible disputes between the affected communities.
The legislative proposals 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 on the bills on Tuesday, the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno, representing Borno North, said the amendments were necessary to specify the locations and host communities of the institutions.
Monguno explained that the Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences would be located in Bende town, while the Federal College of Education would be situated in Ethem Bende.
He urged lawmakers to support the proposals, noting that the House of Representatives had completed the necessary legislative stages before forwarding them to the Senate.
Both bills passed second reading and were subsequently referred to the Committee of the Whole for clause-by-clause consideration. They were later adopted and passed through third reading.
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Speaking after their passage, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the amendments as minor but significant adjustments capable of preventing misunderstandings and communal disagreements.
He commended the House of Representatives for identifying the need to resolve the uncertainty surrounding the host communities of the institutions.
Akpabio also praised the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, for sponsoring the legislative initiative.
The Senate President expressed optimism that presidential assent to the amended laws would address potential sources of tension and promote peaceful coexistence between Bende town and Ethem Bende.
He said the development demonstrated the importance of both chambers of the National Assembly addressing seemingly minor legislative issues with wider implications for peace and community relations.
Following the Senate’s passage, the two amendment bills will be transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.