By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – With roughly 168 hours to the kick-off of electioneering campaign by all competing and contending political parties, it is believed that certificate scandal will define the 2019 election campaign. Never in the history of Nigeria has the issue of certificate forgery been so pronounced as have witnessed in the last three and half years of this All Progressives Congress-led federal government.
Scarcely does a particular certificate scandal settle than another is uncovered; and the surprising thing is that the government not only maintains a sealed leap, it also turns deaf ear and blind eyes; pretending as if it does not matter afterall. Eventually the government decides to break silence; the comment will be more embarrassing than the forgery itself, thereby making us a laughing stock to the international community.
Recall that shortly after the news of Adeosu’s NYSC certificate forgery hit the air waves, the Chairman of Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof Itse Sagay, told all who cared to listen that Kemi Adeosun’s alleged certificate forgery is irrelevant.
Hear him: “Let me tell you my reaction. This woman is a brilliant and extremely valuable member of this government.”
He continued: “A lot of the good things happening now – the welfare that Nigerians are enjoying and are going to enjoy, because it takes time, and the way our economy is booming, how we got out of recession – are due to her expertise, her commitment, her sacrifice.
“There is nothing in this world that will make me remove such a woman from the government. The PDP can weep from now until there is no tear in their body; she is going to be there. We cannot afford to lose that woman, Sagay said.
Notwithstanding the frequency as well as the high profile government officials involved, there is also no form of arrest, prosecution, suspension or even punishment by a government that ascended to power on the mantra of fight against corruption.
To this extent therefore, forthcoming electioneering campaign will focus more on certificate scandal and the docility of the government to muster political will-power and address this ill that more than anything else, makes nonsense of the fight against corruption.
Now let us x-ray the certificates scandals so far witnessed in the last three and half years.
Obono-Obla’s Invalid Ordinary Level Result
Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel on the Recovery of Public Property, Mr. Okoi Obono-Obla, was indicted by House of Representatives panel over forgery of his West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination results.
The panel had said in the course of its primary assignment, it discovered the presidential aide might have forged his way into the University of Jos where he studied and subsequently, the Nigerian Law School.
But Obono-Obla said that some people were after him for daring to investigate and expose assets hidden abroad by some powerful people in the National Assembly.
TheWAEC Registrar, represented by the Deputy Registrar, Mr Femi Ola, had told the panel in June that available evidence indicated that the results were “altered” and thus “invalid.”
According to the WAEC boss, “Considering the results, particularly on what is before me, I would say what I have brought here is the authentic and genuine one; his is not because it has been altered and such alteration renders it invalid,” Mr Ola had said then.
Forged NYSC Certificate By Former Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun
Yet again is the case of the former Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun. Adeosun was also said to have skipped Nigeria’s one-year mandatory national youth service scheme and then forged an exemption certificate.
The forged NYSC exemption ‘certificate’ was purportedly issued on September 7, 2009. Based on its enabling law, the NYSC does not issue exemption certificate to anyone who, like the minister, graduates before turning 30. Born on March 9, 1967, Mrs Adeosun graduated July 11, 1989 at 22.
Mrs Adeosun’s ‘certificate’ is dated September 9, 2009, and was purportedly signed by Yusuf Bomoi, a former director-general of the corps.
Officials said Mr. Bomoi stepped down from the NYSC in January 2009, and could not have signed any certificate for the corps eight months after. The retired brigadier general passed on in September 2017.
Unlike the Obono-Obla case, Kemi who owned up to the forgery saga said: “I obtained my first Nigerian passport at the age of thirty-four (34) and when I relocated there was debate as to whether NYSC Law applied to me. Upon enquiry as to my status relating to NYSC, I was informed that due to my residency history and having exceeded the age of thirty (30), I was exempted from the requirement to serve. Until recent events, that remained my understanding.
“On the basis of that advice and with the guidance and assistance of those, I thought were trusted associates, NYSC were approached for documentary proof of status. I then received the certificate in question. Having never worked in NYSC, visited the premises, been privy to or familiar with their operations, I had no reason to suspect that the certificate was anything but genuine.”
Adeosun was said to have voluntarily resigned her position after it became clear to her that it was a doctored certificate. Though she exhibited a high moral spirit, pundits are of the view that with the likes of Prof Itsa Sagay advising the president, see nothing wrong with such forgery and are willing to cover it up or defend such illegality.
Former Minister of Communication, Mr Adebayo Shittu
Though slightly a different case, Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, failed to participate in the NYSC scheme despite graduating from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) at age 25,
Mr. Shittu who admitted that he did not serve, claimed he thought his first political post after graduation could suffice as national service, a claim lawyers and NYSC insiders consider as ludicrous and untenable.
Skipping the compulsory national service is an offence under the NYSC law, punishable with up to 12 months imprisonment.
Employers are mandated by law to always request NYSC certificate of national service from employees as part of the conditions for hiring.
President Buhari’s Certificate Controversy:
President Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate has been issue of controversy prior to the 2015 general election. Though it has nothing to with forgery then, but he was quoted as saying that his certificate was with the military. Not many believed that it was any serious issue until he was elected president.
With his election as president and some issues that unfolded, the people developed keen interest to ascertain the level of education of our president. With the demand of the people coupled with the pressure from opposition parties, it was alleged that the presidency requested for the President’s certificate from the West African Examination Council (WAEC).
Predicated on this, the council issued an “attestation certificate” to President Muhammadu Buhari.
So as parties roll out their drums on the 18th of November to solicit for votes from electorate, these issues are expected to reverberate once again and the actions and inactions of the incumbent government and the implication to leadership will be brought to the fore to de-market or promote parties interest.
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