Still reeling from his controversial sacking of local government chairmen, Governor Monday Okpebholo has stirred yet another hornets’ nest with a decision to rename Edo State University, Uzairue, as Edo University, Iyamho, the town of his political godfather, Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
Okpebholo announced the decision by executive fiat, a move that has drawn sharp criticism.
His December 30 press statement stated that the change was to be implemented “with immediate effect,” without input from the legislative process required to amend the university’s name.
Created in 2014 as a fee-paying, autonomous institution, the university, has undergone name changes in the past through legislative amendments.
The most recent change, from Edo University, Iyamho, to Edo State University, Uzairue in 2020, followed a formal amendment reflecting the identity of Uzairue and distancing the institution from its association with former APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole.
Governor Okpebholo faced backlash for initiating the attempted suspension of local government chairmen in violation of the Constitution and a July 11th Supreme Court judgement, an action that was reversed by a high court order.
Attorney General of the Federation Chief Lateef Fagbemi had to issue a public statement emphasizing the fact that governors and state assemblies could not suspend or dissolve local government councils.
“This is part of a pattern of disregard for democratic norms,” said Goodluck Osaretin, spokesperson for leading opposition party the People’s Democratic Party. “From illegal suspensions of local government chairmen to this attempt to rename the university by fiat, the Governor is eroding public trust in governance. The Governor must realize he is not Oshiomhole’s puppet.
“When Oshiomhole wanted to change the university’s name to his village, he used the state assembly. Today why is Okpebholo breaking the law to please his leader? Is it that he does not know the law, or maybe even worse does not care about them?”
