NEWS
I Created FUPRE, I’m Responsible For Establishment Of Varsity, Gbagi, Omo-Agege, Oboro At Each Others Jugular
The last has not been heard of who did what over the ‘creation’ or ‘establishment’ of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources in Delta State.
Former Minister of Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi has joined the fray over who should take the ‘lion share credit’ for the ‘creation’ and the ‘establishment’ of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE) in Ugbomro, Uvwie Council Area of Delta state, BigPen Online can report.
While Gbagi is laying claim to the fact that the university only came to be after his “memo” on its creation to the Federal Executive Council (FEC), Obaisi Ovie Omo-Agege and Hon. Evelyn Oboro had stick to their guns insisting that they initiated the bill for the establishment of the institution.
Gbagi’s contention however is that it is the responsibility of the Federal Executive Council to establish a University on the presentation of a “Memo” to council by the Minister for Education.
According to him, the legal framework which the institution needed after former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, released money for its takeoff as a College – through effort of Late Senator Fred Ayo Brume, was his handiwork as Minister for Education.
Though Gbagi’s argument is in variance with Omo-Agege and Evelyn Oboro, who have been laying claim as initiators of the “bill” establishing the institution, Gbagi maintains that no university can come into existence without a FEC approval which he fought for as Minister of Education.
He insisted that the “memo” which created the institution was codenamed with his initials “KO”, maintaining that a Senator or House of Representatives (referring to Omo-Agege and Oboro) are not vested with responsibility of establishing an institution, therefore the duo cannot ‘take credit’ for FUPRE.
His words: “It pleased God that on my thirty – second day (32) as Minister for Education, I presented a memo to the Federal Executive Council and wherein Council approved the creation of the university.
Buttressing his argument, he said, “In furtherance of Council’s approval, I proceeded through my ministry to process the necessary documentation, which was then forwarded under my seal as a Minister to the Senate for the amendment of the Act to include the creation of the University.
“It is the responsibility of the Federal Executive Council to establish a University on the presentation of a Memo to council by the Minister for Education.
“A Senator or a member of the House of Representatives is not vested with this responsibility and cannot therefore take credit for the creation of the Federal University of Petroleum”.
Continuing, Gbagi told Omo-Agege and Oboro that as a serving Minister then, he equally presented the memo that founded other 12 universities, 14 polytechnics and 16 Colleges of Education in Nigeria, pointing out that setting the records straight has become necessary for a better comprehension of who did what while in office.
BigPen Online can report that while Gbagi is saying he ‘created’ the institution through a memo to FEC, Omo-Agege and Oboro claimed they ‘established’ the institution by way of legislature.
Recalls that Oboro, a federal lawmaker, representing Sapele/Uvwie/Okpe Federal Constituency who is currently warming up to challenge Omo-Agege over his Delta Central Senatorial District seat, had fired the first salvo at Omo-Agege whom she allegedly accused to have ‘stole’ her ‘intellectual properties’ in the bill establishing FUPRE.
Disagreed over her claims, Omo-Agege came out in full force to rubbished Oboro, saying she lacks legislative acumen hence her claims to “intellectual property” of a bill which was originally initiated by former representative, Eferakeya and later became an Executive Bill by former President Goodluck Jonathan which he adopted, repackage and presented to the Senate for passage.
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