President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday appointed Binta Garba as the pro-chancellor and chairperson of the governing council of the new Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences in Iyin Ekiti, Ekiti.

Ms Garba, a politician, businesswoman and administrator, represented Adamawa North Senatorial District in the Senate from 2015 to 2019 and served in the House of Representatives from 1999 to 2011, Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesman, said in a statement.

The other members of the governing council are Joseph Sanya, Efe Emmanuel, Joyce Ogunyemi and Dahiru Ruma.

The principal officers appointed for the university are James Aribisala as vice-chancellor, Oluwole Dada as registrar, Adeniyi Ajayi as bursar, and Isaac Busayo as librarian.

Mr Tinubu acknowledged the commendable efforts of Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele in advocating the establishment of the new university in Iyin Ekiti.

He encouraged the appointees to leverage their extensive leadership experience and commitment to steer the university toward academic excellence, innovative research and development.

The new university will admit its first cohort of students in September.

In addition, Mr Tinubu has appointed Muhammed Audu as the pro-chancellor and chairman of the governing board of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue.

Mr Audu succeeds Ohieku Salami. He is an academic and administrator with vast experience in Nigeria’s university system.

“A professor of Mathematics at the University of Jos, he previously served as vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, where he led transformative initiatives that enhanced academic and infrastructural development,” said the statement.

(NAN)