Ogun Governor in certificate forgery scandal

• Group petitions IG

A group under the aegis of Assembly of Patriots International has raised the alarm over an alleged false declaration under oath by the governor of Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun, concerning his education qualifications.

In a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu by the Ogun state chapter of the group, Olasukanmi Adamu, Secretary of the group who signed the petition dated August 7 alleged that Abiodun made a false declaration under oath when he contested the senatorial seat in 2015 and during the 2019 governorship election in his form, CFOO1.

The group further claimed that the governor allegedly committed offences relating to perjury and that, “he intentionally provided false information with the aim of misleading the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.”

It added that Abiodun allegedly did not obtain any educational qualifications from any higher institution.

The petition further reads, “Although we are aware that an executive governor cannot be prosecuted while in office, the Supreme Court has clearly ruled that a governor can be investigated and if found culpable, should be prosecuted upon exit from office.

“As clearly shown on the face value of the attached forms CF001 that Governor Dapo Abiodun filled and signed on oath in 2015 and 2019, he clearly committed an offence by knowingly providing false information.

“The said information was provided with a view to misleading the electoral umpire and benefit from same by criminally claiming to have attended and obtaining non-existing educational qualifications.

“We, therefore, implore you to use your good offices as the Inspector-General of Police to investigate thoroughly the possible involvement and collusion of the All Progressives Congress which screened and certified the credentials submitted to it by Governor Dapo Abiodun for its roles in this nefarious act.”

A national daily has, in an exclusive news feature published on Sunday August 4, reported that efforts to confirm the authenticity of Abiodun’s studentship in the secondary school he filled in his INEC Form CF001 proved abortive as his name was not found in the directory.

The newspaper also said the Obafemi Awolowo University where Abiodun claimed he dropped out from (during a live television interview before the election) could not confirm, as at the time of filing its report, that Abiodun was admitted to study any course in the then University of Ife.

Likewise, it was also reported that, more than three weeks after a request was made to the headquarters of the West African Examination Council, WAEC, the examination council could not confirm the authenticity of a 1978 WAEC certificate Abiodun attached to his INEC form in 2019.

Attempts to get the reaction of the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, failed as he did not answer several calls made to his phone.