FG MAY RELOCATE PROPOSED EKITI FEDERAL VARISITY TO IKOLE

It was learnt in Abuja last night that the government had opted to site a campus of the new university in Oye Ekiti as a way of placating the people of Oye where the government earlier planned to site the university. However, the main campus would now be sited in Ikole, it was learnt.

The location of the proposed university had pitched the people of Ikole against their Oye neighbours, following the decision of the Federal Government to site the university in Oye, contrary to the expectation of the Ikole people.

Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie had stressed that, government had never at any time said it was siting the university at Ikole.

'Oye ekiti has all it takes to host the university. Before the Federal Government makes any pronouncement, it would have taken into account all the things that are involved. We visited only once and we had to visit twice before the government could make any pronouncement. A committee was set up last October to examine a lot of things before any community could be chosen to host the new universities. A lot of things were considered and the documents were there for you to see.

'The issue is this, we went to inspect Ikole Ekiti, and we were supposed to go to three sites. So, the Federal Government said we revisit and get information on the other sites. Federal government never made any pronouncement on Ikole Ekiti.'

We made our report available to the Federal Executive Council and they examined all the issues and said it is Oye Ekiti.

'We are happy with the way things are going and information available to us indicate that over 5,000 have subscribed to get admission in the new nine universities and the number is increasing, ' Okogie had said while handing over an office space in the commission's headquarters as a temporary operation base for the university.