Senate Steps Down Bill To Relocate Nasarawa Federal Poly
The Senate has stepped down a bill seeking to relocate a Federal Polytechnic to Nasarawa Eggon in Nasarawa State, advising its sponsor, Senator Danladi, to instead introduce fresh legislation for the establishment of a new institution in the area.
The advice was given by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary while the chamber considered the Federal Polytechnics Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 (SB. 1065), sponsored by Danladi.
The senator had proposed relocating the institution to Nasarawa North Senatorial District, arguing that the upgrade of the Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa West to a university had left his constituency without a federal institution of higher learning.
Presenting the bill, Danladi said the proposed relocation was intended to address the educational gap in his constituency.
“The Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa West Senatorial District has been upgraded to a university status, and my bill is to urge this hallowed Chamber to relocate the upgraded polytechnic to Nasarawa Eggon in Nasarawa North Senatorial District of Nasarawa State,” he said.
He added, “We in Nasarawa North Senatorial District do not have any federal institution.”
However, Akpabio cautioned that the proposed amendment could create complications because the institution in question had already been upgraded to a university.
He explained that relocating the institution under the proposed bill could effectively amount to moving the university from its current location, potentially generating opposition from the host community.
“Your bill cannot go for second reading because you are talking about relocation. If you relocate it, it has already been upgraded to university status, so if you relocate it, you are relocating the university and the whole community will not be happy,” the Senate President said.
Akpabio advised Danladi to allow the upgraded institution to remain at its present location and sponsor a fresh bill seeking the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa Eggon.
“What you need to do is to, in view of the fact that the existing Federal Polytechnic has been upgraded, leave it where it is, then bring a fresh Bill for a Federal Polytechnic to be created in Nasarawa Eggon,” he said.
The Senate President expressed confidence that the Senate and President Bola Tinubu would support the proposal if it followed the appropriate legislative process.
“Then the Senate will support you, and I believe the President will support you, because that is like replacing the old Federal Polytechnic, because that one no longer exists. It has been upgraded,” Akpabio added.
To further explain his position, Akpabio compared the situation to the upgrading of a primary school to a secondary school, arguing that once an institution had been upgraded, it could no longer be treated as the former institution for the purpose of relocation.
“It’s like having a primary school, and they upgrade it to secondary school. If you have a primary school in your village and then you request that the Federal Government upgrades the primary school to a secondary school.
“It means that the primary school no longer exists. You cannot request that the whole primary school should be taken to another location,” he said.
Danladi accepted the Senate President’s advice, expressing appreciation for the guidance.
“I think that should be the best way. Your Excellency, I am most obliged for this guidance,” the senator said.
The bill was subsequently stepped down to enable the sponsor to prepare a fresh proposal for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic in Nasarawa Eggon.
If the proposed legislation is introduced and approved, the new institution would expand access to technical and vocational education in Nasarawa North Senatorial District, which Danladi said currently lacks a federal institution of higher learning.