FG not planning to name UI after Akunyili - Abati

The Presidency on Sunday said there was no iota of truth in news making the rounds that the Federal Government was planning to name the University of Ibadan after a former Minister of Information and Communications, late Professor Dora Akunyili.



Akunyili who was also a former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control died in an Indian hospital on Saturday.

Abati, in a message posted on his Twitter handle, said nobody ever said President Goodluck Jonathan was considering naming the university after the deceased.

He urged members of the public to ignore what he described as fake news.

The presidential spokesman said the President stood by an official condolence statement released by the government shortly after Akunyili’s death on Saturday.

Abati wrote, “Nobody ever said Mr. President is considering naming University of Ibadan after Late Professor Dora Akunyili. Please ignore fake news.

“On Dora Akunyili, there is an official statement conveying President Jonathan’s heartfelt condolences. We stand by that statement.”

In a statement released by Abati on Saturday, Jonathan had said he received with shock and sadness the news of the sudden and untimely death of the former minister.

He expressed the belief Akunyili would live long in the memories of those who were privileged to know her as “a diligent professional, a public-spirited and forthright public officer, and as a person of great convictions.”

He said he considered the deceased’s contributions to nation-building while she served as the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control as well as as Minister of Information and Communications, invaluable.