PROMINENT NIGERIANS WITH CERTIFICATE SCANDALS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/prominent-nigerians-with-certificate.html

Like sea creatures in ocean’s depth, prominent Nigerians have been grappling not to sink in the murky waters of certificate scandals, BAYO AKINLOYE writes

“I’ll never resign!” his gentle voice echoed through his expansive office, as his body shook like a man being led inevitably to the gallows as he addressed journalists in a press conference.

The grandeur of his office as the Speaker, House of Representatives, was unmistakable with his retinue of security details and aides.

There were five rooms adjoining and leading to his expansive official personal office: the security details, receptionists, private secretaries, aides, chief of staff and aid-de-camp.

As the Number Four citizen of Nigeria, he could wield enormous power and would do anything to remain in power – as he had already lied his way to become the fourth most powerful person in the most populous black nation on earth.

The Ahmadu Bello University connection

Erstwhile Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari’s way to the lower chamber of the National Assembly was fraught with forgeries. To become a federal lawmaker, he claimed he was 36 years old as of 1999, though he was born in 1970.

The minimum required age to be a lawmaker in the House, according to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, is 30.

He also claimed to have attended University of Toronto in Canada and graduated with a degree in Business Administration, but the university denied he was ever a student of the institution.

And for falsifying his credentials to gain admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, he was kicked out and never had the opportunity to participate in the one-year National Youth Service Corps exercise.

In 2000, the lid was fully blown open and the defiant Buhari broke down in tears of confession before the nation, owning up to allegations of forgery and perjury.

“I apologise to you. I apologise to the nation. I apologise to my family and friends for all the distress I have caused them. I was misled in error by my zeal to serve the nation. I hope the nation will forgive me and give me the opportunity to serve again,” he begged.

To date, Salisu Buhari has remained the poster boy of certificate scandal in the country’s political space, with the latest accusation levelled against a one-time anti-corruption activist and now senator, Dino Melaye.

Forty-three-year-old Melaye, bald-headed with a well-tended moustache to boot, was accused by an online news medium, SaharaReporters of not graduating from the same ABU. One of his colleagues, Senator Ali Ndume, called for the upper legislative chamber to probe him for forgery and perjury.

“SaharaReporters, please sue me and ABU if it is true that I did not graduate from Zaria. Tell (the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) Magu (Ibrahim) to arrest and prosecute me. I’m presently a student of ABU pursuing my seventh degree,” Melaye retorted.

However, Harvard University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, which Melaye had reportedly claimed to have graduated from, told SaharaReporters that Melaye did not study degree courses with them, and hence, couldn’t have graduated.

As it is customary, the Senate has referred Melaye’s case to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. The committee’s report is expected to come in towards the end of April.

Just a fortnight ago, the firebrand politician was breathing fire and brimstone, hankering that Magu’s confirmation should be dismissed because he did not pass the Senate’s “integrity test.”

But the spokesman for northern delegates in the last National Conference, Anthony Sani, does not think it is a problem peculiar to politically exposed persons.

“Certificate scandal is not an exclusive preserve of politicians but manifestations of corrupt practices that have distorted our sense of what is right and what is evil in the polity. Consider the prevalence of exam malpractices, among our youths in order to have realistic appreciation of the unsavoury situation,” he told SUNDAY PUNCH.

A scandal that rocks even presidents

In an animated manner, Sani dismissed an allegation that President Muhammadu Buhari did not have a certificate to show that he finished his secondary school education. He had told SUNDAY PUNCH in 2015 that it was an insult to say the man – a general – that would soon be the nation’s president did not have such a certificate.

Even though the respected former Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (retd.), in defence of President Buhari, had expressed disdain for those who accused the President of not having the Cambridge West African School Certificate Ordinary Level in 1961 as he claimed, the allegation left much a chink in the armour of Buhari than any other issue as the 73-year-old has yet to present the certificate.

Few months to the 2015 presidential poll, Buhari defended himself, saying that he attended the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina, with many prominent Nigerians, including the late General Shehu Yar’Adua.

Certain of not forging his certificate, Buhari said he sat for the University of Cambridge/WASSCE Examination in 1961, with the examination number 8280002, which he reportedly passed in the Second Division.

He also submitted an affidavit to the Independent National Electoral Commission that all his academic credentials were with the Military Board. However, the army issued a curious disclaimer that it did not have the original, certified true copy or statement of results of the retired general.

In the ensuing claim and counterclaim, one Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe instituted a lawsuit asking the court to disqualify Buhari from running for president because he did not have the minimum qualification required to contest for the presidential election.

There was raucous noise across the nation as opponents and supporters awaited the court’s pronouncement but before the case could be decided, the former head of state won the election and was sworn in as a democratically elected president.

On June 16, 2016, a Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the suit indefinitely seemingly putting an end to a nail-biting controversy that may be forever associated with a president who built his claim to the presidency on the platform of integrity.

Goodluck Jonathan

But before Buhari was subjected to this scrutiny, former President Goodluck Jonathan had also been caught momentarily in the web of a certificate scandal.

Like a salvo, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo hauled a bombshell that must have unsettled and rattled the leadership of the PDP and others who revered Jonathan and never ceased to laud him as the first doctoral degree holder to lead Nigeria.

Obasanjo had said, “Even Jonathan did not finish his PhD course but when it was presented, we stated that it does not matter but many people did not know because it was a PDP thing.”

Coming from arguably Nigeria’s most respected leader and global statesman, the accusation was weighty and left the sitting president’s integrity and image in a precarious state.

Jonathan reportedly holds a BSc in Zoology with second class honours; an MSc in Hydrobiology and Fisheries Biology; and a PhD in Zoology, all from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

His supporters felt Obasanjo was making desperate efforts to discredit the then president ahead of the 2015 presidential poll to ensure he would not win the election.
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Well unfortunately, we all knew that politicians and certificate forgery are like 5&6. We needed someone to spot out this deficiencies in our political system but our so called journalist were busy being bought over. All thanks to SR for their recent efforts. Twale SR

I am watching all of them from high places.

Meanwhile, Buhari remains the poster boy for certificate scandal

for naija... just know person that's all the certificate you need to have

Where is Obaseki and OShiomole certificate?A coutry ruled by certificate forgers

Nigeria is a country where anything goes. Certificate forgers are ruling educated elite in a country where we have millions of educated people. It is a shame!

when our president no get waec who cares

lol