President Muhammadu Buhari has signed a law renaming the Federal University Makurdi after foremost nationalist and politician, late Senator Joseph Sawuan Tarka.

Tarka, who hails from Benue State, was a former Minister for Transport and then Communications under the military government of General Yakubu Gowon.

He was one of the founding members of the United Middle Belt Congress, a political organization dedicated to protecting and advocating for the country’s Middle Belt. Late Tarka was a Second Republic senator under the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, who briefed State House Correspondents at the presidential villa, Abuja, said President Buhari’s decision gives effect to the Federal Universities of Agriculture Amendment Act, 2019 No.2.

He said: “This Act amends the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22, Law of the Federation of Nigeria to change the name of the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi in Benue State to Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi.”

The House of Representatives at its plenary on May 18, 2019, first approved the renaming of the Federal University after late Tarka.

The bill, titled: “A bill for an act to amend the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to make provision for a change of name of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi to J. S. Tarka University of Agriculture, Makurdi and for other related matters, was first introduced on the floor by John Dyegh (APC, Benue).

New Telegraph recalls that, leading debate on the proposed legislation then, Dyegh who represents Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency, submitted that J.S. Tarka was one of the few among his peers who have not been immortalized by the Federal Government. (New Telegraph)

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