Johnathan, Tinubu, Oshiomhole And Other Prominent Politicians Who Have Been Involved In Certificate Scandals
Since the return of democracy in 1999, prominent Nigerian politicians have been involved in certificate scandals, some of these prominent politicians had lost their positions while others have been fighting not to sink in the murky waters of politics.
Some of these politicians are:
Salisu Buhari
Immediately after the return of democracy in 1999, the first Speaker of the fourth republic, Salisu Buhari was involved in certificate scandal that led to his
resignation as the youngest Speaker of House Representatives.
Salisu Buhari was accused of forging his certificates and falsifying his age. The first Speaker of the fourth Republic claimed he was 36 years old in 1999 and was later discovered through investigation that he was actually born in 1970 and never graduated from University of Toronto in Canada with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration as he claimed.
According to the 1999 constitution, the age requirement for House of Representatives as at that time was 30 years and Salisu Buhari was not qualified to have contested for member House Representatives in the first place.
At the height of the allegation in 2000, Buhari broke down in tears and confessed before Nigerians how he was misled and begged the nation for forgiveness.
He said, “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 Nigerians for forgiveness.
Senator Dino Melaye
Former Senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye was hit with certificate scandal in 2017.
Sahara Reporters was the first to blow the whistle that Dino Melaye never graduated from Ahmadu Bello University as he claimed.
Dino who was a one-time anti-corruption activist was known for being vocal and never come to term with many policies of President Buhari led administration while he was in the hallowed chamber.
In order to clear the air and maintain the integrity of the Senate Chamber, his colleague, Senator Ali Ndume called the Senate to commence probe on Senator Dino Melaye for alleged certificate forgery and perjury capable of undermining the integrity of the Senate chamber.
In his defence, Dino Melaye told Sahara reporters to sue him and Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, if he did graduate from the Institution and claimed he was pursing his seventh degree in the same institution.
However, Sahara Reporters later reported that London School of Economics where Dino Melaye claimed to have studied Political Science denied that Melaye never studied any degree course with them.
To further proven he graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Melaye wore his matriculation gown to the Senate plenary before the Vice Chancellor Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Ibrahim Garba appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on March 27, 2017 and cleared the air that
Melaye graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 2000.
Goodluck Jonathan
Former President Goodluck Johnathan was never exempted from the list of prominent politicians in the country who have been hit with certificate scandal.
According to Punch Newspaper,
ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo
was the one who blew the whistle ahead of 2015 general elections and alleged that Goodluck Johnathan did not finish his PhD course as claimed.
Obasanjo had alleged that, “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.”
Former President Goodluck Johnathan who holds a Bachelor degree in Zoology and MSc in Hydrobiology and Fisheries Biology; and a PhD in Zoology, all from the prestigious University of Port Harcourt in River State did little to clear the allegation while University of Port Harcourt through its Deputy Registrar, William Wodi, described the allegation as having “neither legs nor grounds to stand on.”
Former President Olusegun Ovasanjo was later accused by loyalists of Goodluck Johnathan of discrediting the then President ahead of the 2015 Presidential election for Goodluck Johnathan to lose the election.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
The Jagaban as he's fondly called was never exempted from the list of prominent Nigerian Politicians who have been involved in certificate scandals in the country.
The former National Leader of the ruling all Progressives Congress who has remained relevant since 1999 was involved in certificate scandal in 1999 when one Dr. waliu Balogun alleged in a petition that the Jagaban did not attend Chicago State University as he claimed in the form 001 he filled and submitted to INEC when he was contesting for Lagos State Governor.
According to Punch, Dr. waliu Balogun also alleged that Jagaban lied in the affidavit he attached to the INEC where he claimed to have lost his University degree certificate during his exile between 1994 and 1998 alleging further that Tinubu's claim of graduating from Government College, Ibadan was false amongst other allegations he leveled against the former National Leader of the Ruling All Progressives Congress.
In his defense, the Jagaban presented the original copy of his certificate and dismissed the allegation of Dr. Waliu Balogun as “baseless, wicked and unfortunate.”
To further clear every doubt surrounding Tinubu's certificate scandal, legal luminary and human right activist, Gani Fawehinmi, took the case to court to compel the Inspector General of Police to investigate Tinubu. Unfortunately, the highly revered human right activist died along the line and could not finish the case.
Ayodele Fayose
Former Governor Of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose was also involved in certificate scandal. Fayose who was known for daring the Buhari led administration was hit with certificate scandal in 2013 ahead of his first governorship election.
Fayose who had earlier claimed to have graduated from The Polytechnic, Ibadan and bagged Higher National Diploma from the institution was surprised when the Polytechnic denied in a disclaimer that Foyose was never a student of the institution and added that the certificate claimed by Fayose belongs to another person.
In a twist of event, The Polytechnic, Ibadan took back their words and admitted that Ayodele Fayose was a graduate of the institution which contributed to his first term governorship victory in 2014 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Adams Oshiomhole
The former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole was never left out of the certificate scandal.
The two term Governor of Edo State was involved in certificate scandal in 2012 when Major General Charles Airhiavbere (retd.) blew the trumpet and
challenged the authenticity of Oshiomhole's academic records.
General Airhiavbere who was also contesting for the Governor of Edo State on the platform of PDP as at the time had alleged that Adams Oshiomhole’s primary and secondary school certificates were forged.
General Airhiavbere which later forwarded the allegation to Election Petition Tribunal maintained that the certificates which Oshiomhole presented to INEC were not original, and argued that Iyamoh Primary School, Iyamoh, which Oshiomhole claimed to have attended between 1957 to 1962,
was founded in 1963, a year after
Oshiomhole claimed to have graduated from the school.
He further alleged that Oshiomhole's name was not listed as one of the students who graduated from Blessed Martins Secondary Modern School, where Oshiomhole claimed to have graduated from in 1965. Oshiomhole, however, won the case at the Tribunal.
Godwin Obaseki
The embattled Governor of Ondo
State, Godwin Obaseki was also hit with certificate scandal.
According to his biography, Obaseki graduated from Columbia University and Pace University in New York, United States and bagged an MBA in Finance and International Business.
Obaseki who partook in the 1980 National Youth Service Corps was accused of forging his NYSC certificate due to the spelling error in his surname which reads Obasek instead of Obaseki. This eventually led to his disqualification from participating in the 2020 APC governorship primaries in Edo State.
However, the NYSC management later issued him a new certificate with his correct name.
Some of these politicians are:
Salisu Buhari
Immediately after the return of democracy in 1999, the first Speaker of the fourth republic, Salisu Buhari was involved in certificate scandal that led to his
resignation as the youngest Speaker of House Representatives.
Salisu Buhari was accused of forging his certificates and falsifying his age. The first Speaker of the fourth Republic claimed he was 36 years old in 1999 and was later discovered through investigation that he was actually born in 1970 and never graduated from University of Toronto in Canada with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration as he claimed.
According to the 1999 constitution, the age requirement for House of Representatives as at that time was 30 years and Salisu Buhari was not qualified to have contested for member House Representatives in the first place.
At the height of the allegation in 2000, Buhari broke down in tears and confessed before Nigerians how he was misled and begged the nation for forgiveness.
He said, “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 Nigerians for forgiveness.
Senator Dino Melaye
Former Senator representing Kogi West senatorial district, Dino Melaye was hit with certificate scandal in 2017.
Sahara Reporters was the first to blow the whistle that Dino Melaye never graduated from Ahmadu Bello University as he claimed.
Dino who was a one-time anti-corruption activist was known for being vocal and never come to term with many policies of President Buhari led administration while he was in the hallowed chamber.
In order to clear the air and maintain the integrity of the Senate Chamber, his colleague, Senator Ali Ndume called the Senate to commence probe on Senator Dino Melaye for alleged certificate forgery and perjury capable of undermining the integrity of the Senate chamber.
In his defence, Dino Melaye told Sahara reporters to sue him and Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, if he did graduate from the Institution and claimed he was pursing his seventh degree in the same institution.
However, Sahara Reporters later reported that London School of Economics where Dino Melaye claimed to have studied Political Science denied that Melaye never studied any degree course with them.
To further proven he graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Melaye wore his matriculation gown to the Senate plenary before the Vice Chancellor Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Ibrahim Garba appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on March 27, 2017 and cleared the air that
Melaye graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 2000.
Goodluck Jonathan
Former President Goodluck Johnathan was never exempted from the list of prominent politicians in the country who have been hit with certificate scandal.
According to Punch Newspaper,
ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo
was the one who blew the whistle ahead of 2015 general elections and alleged that Goodluck Johnathan did not finish his PhD course as claimed.
Obasanjo had alleged that, “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.”
Former President Goodluck Johnathan who holds a Bachelor degree in Zoology and MSc in Hydrobiology and Fisheries Biology; and a PhD in Zoology, all from the prestigious University of Port Harcourt in River State did little to clear the allegation while University of Port Harcourt through its Deputy Registrar, William Wodi, described the allegation as having “neither legs nor grounds to stand on.”
Former President Olusegun Ovasanjo was later accused by loyalists of Goodluck Johnathan of discrediting the then President ahead of the 2015 Presidential election for Goodluck Johnathan to lose the election.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu
The Jagaban as he's fondly called was never exempted from the list of prominent Nigerian Politicians who have been involved in certificate scandals in the country.
The former National Leader of the ruling all Progressives Congress who has remained relevant since 1999 was involved in certificate scandal in 1999 when one Dr. waliu Balogun alleged in a petition that the Jagaban did not attend Chicago State University as he claimed in the form 001 he filled and submitted to INEC when he was contesting for Lagos State Governor.
According to Punch, Dr. waliu Balogun also alleged that Jagaban lied in the affidavit he attached to the INEC where he claimed to have lost his University degree certificate during his exile between 1994 and 1998 alleging further that Tinubu's claim of graduating from Government College, Ibadan was false amongst other allegations he leveled against the former National Leader of the Ruling All Progressives Congress.
In his defense, the Jagaban presented the original copy of his certificate and dismissed the allegation of Dr. Waliu Balogun as “baseless, wicked and unfortunate.”
To further clear every doubt surrounding Tinubu's certificate scandal, legal luminary and human right activist, Gani Fawehinmi, took the case to court to compel the Inspector General of Police to investigate Tinubu. Unfortunately, the highly revered human right activist died along the line and could not finish the case.
Ayodele Fayose
Former Governor Of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose was also involved in certificate scandal. Fayose who was known for daring the Buhari led administration was hit with certificate scandal in 2013 ahead of his first governorship election.
Fayose who had earlier claimed to have graduated from The Polytechnic, Ibadan and bagged Higher National Diploma from the institution was surprised when the Polytechnic denied in a disclaimer that Foyose was never a student of the institution and added that the certificate claimed by Fayose belongs to another person.
In a twist of event, The Polytechnic, Ibadan took back their words and admitted that Ayodele Fayose was a graduate of the institution which contributed to his first term governorship victory in 2014 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Adams Oshiomhole
The former National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole was never left out of the certificate scandal.
The two term Governor of Edo State was involved in certificate scandal in 2012 when Major General Charles Airhiavbere (retd.) blew the trumpet and
challenged the authenticity of Oshiomhole's academic records.
General Airhiavbere who was also contesting for the Governor of Edo State on the platform of PDP as at the time had alleged that Adams Oshiomhole’s primary and secondary school certificates were forged.
General Airhiavbere which later forwarded the allegation to Election Petition Tribunal maintained that the certificates which Oshiomhole presented to INEC were not original, and argued that Iyamoh Primary School, Iyamoh, which Oshiomhole claimed to have attended between 1957 to 1962,
was founded in 1963, a year after
Oshiomhole claimed to have graduated from the school.
He further alleged that Oshiomhole's name was not listed as one of the students who graduated from Blessed Martins Secondary Modern School, where Oshiomhole claimed to have graduated from in 1965. Oshiomhole, however, won the case at the Tribunal.
Godwin Obaseki
The embattled Governor of Ondo
State, Godwin Obaseki was also hit with certificate scandal.
According to his biography, Obaseki graduated from Columbia University and Pace University in New York, United States and bagged an MBA in Finance and International Business.
Obaseki who partook in the 1980 National Youth Service Corps was accused of forging his NYSC certificate due to the spelling error in his surname which reads Obasek instead of Obaseki. This eventually led to his disqualification from participating in the 2020 APC governorship primaries in Edo State.
However, the NYSC management later issued him a new certificate with his correct name.
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