There was mild drama in the Senate on Tuesday as two Senators from Bauchi State fought over the location of the College of Education in the state by the Federal Government.
Trouble started when Senator Isa Misau, representing Bauchi Central, raised a point of order complaining about a newspaper publication on an item for a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND, which included the proposed Federal College of Education Dass in Senator Ali Wakili’s Bauchi South.
Misau argued that the proposed College of Education in Dass could hinder the proposed establishment of the Federal College of Education in Misau, his senatorial zone of Bauchi Central.
He informed the Senate that Bauchi South Senatorial District is already in possession of six federal institutions.
These are Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Federal School of Nursing and Midwifery, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, National Open University study campus and Federal Government Girls College.
Misau said: “When Senator Ali Wakili brought this issue of establishing a College of Education in Dass, I told him that his zone already has six federal institutions, while the central zone I represent has none.
“Dass is just 47 kilometres away from Bauchi where all these institutions are located but he (Wakili) is talking about Emirates.
“This is the first time I am hearing about someone looking for school for emirate that is not even recognised at the federal level.
“We are talking about my senatorial zone that has nothing.
“I think it is not fair for them to have this federal institution.”
Tackling Senator Misau’s submission, Wakili said that his colleague from Bauchi State is trying to derail the Committee from carrying out its job, adding that the Committee should be allowed to do the public hearing on the matter.
In his remarks, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary session, recalled that the Senate unanimously agreed on equitable distribution of federal institutions.
Ekweremadu however directed the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND to investigate Senator Misau’s claims in line with the Senate’s resolution, as he put a stop to the proposed public hearing on the establishment of the College of Education.