The lawmaker representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam in the House of Representatives, Yusuf Gagdi has alleged that the immediate past Minister of Education in Muhammadu Buhari administration, Adamu Adamu frustrated the upgrading of the Federal College of Education Pankshin to a Federal University of Education.
He also alleged that the minister frustrated the taking off of the Institution despite President Buhari’s ascent to the bill establishing the institution in 2022,
The lawmaker commended President Bola Tinubu for giving the go-ahead for the University to take off.
Gagdi made the allegations while speaking at the office takeoff of the Federal University of Education Pankshin, Plateau State.
Narrating the incident, the Lawmaker said, “Mr President (Bola Tinubu), they have blackmailed me, I will need you to help me; Tinubu asked: What is the help?
“Sir, it was a Bill I sponsored, converting a College that I finished from to a status of a University.
“I have unlimited access to you Mr President, but my people are at a loss. Why would I have this access, and yet a Bill was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, in 2022, and up till now the University has not taken off?
According to him, “Before President Buhari signed that Bill, it passed through the House of Representatives and it was taken to the Senate for concurrence.
“God bless the then Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, that Bill was passed within 24 hours in the Senate.
“Mr President (Tinubu), this Bill, having passed through teething legislative troubles, then President Buhari minuted it through his Chief of Staff, Gambari, to the then Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.
“I don’t know Adamu’s relationship with the people of Plateau; I have the response of the minister, advising President Buhari not to ascent to the Bill creating Federal University of Education, Pankshin.
“I went back to Buhari and he approved the bill overriding the minister.
“However, it still came back to the Ministry of Education, for us to commence academic activities, it became another problem.
“Since then, the social media became agog, that I lied about the passage of the bill establishing the institution”, he lamented.
“Today, God has exonerated your son from all blackmail; as the institution is taking off today.
“As you can see, the chairman of the governing council and other officials from the federal ministry of education are here with us today”, he maintained.
Gagdi appealed to the state government to support the institution to achieve its mandate.
He also disclosed that the federal government is going to release the sum of ten billion naira as takeoff for the University.
In his remarks, Governor Caleb Mutfwang, represented by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Gabriel Dewan, assured that the State government will give the institution maximum support to achieve its desired goals.
Also speaking, Team Lead from the Federal Ministry of Education and a Director of Colleges of Education, Dr Uche Cecilia Ubah, said the University needs a massive upgrade from what is on ground.
She, however, said upgrading the University is not the work of the federal government alone but should be the responsibility of all stakeholders like the state government, and the national assembly members, among others.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman Governing Council of the University, Funsho Olumoko, commended the lawmaker for his foresight in ensuring that the College was converted to a Federal University of Education.
The President of the Students Union Government, Comrade Yanga Dabang who was visibly elated, thanked the lawmaker and the federal government for upgrading the college to a Federal University of Education.
He said the legislator has set a good example by giving back to his Alma Mata.