Senator Adeleke’s certificate scandal heats up

Senator Ademola Adeleke, Peoples’ Democratic Party’s governorship candidate for Osun state is fighting a battle that could ruined his political career over a raging secondary school certificate scandal.

Recall that the Nigeria Police had last Wednesday invited the Principal of Ede Muslim High School 1, Abass Khalib, for investigation over the issuance of statement of result and testimonial to Mr. Adeleke, which some claimed was not genuine.

Mr. Abass was said to have allegedly signed the statement of results and testimonial of Mr Adeleke, who reportedly finished his secondary school education in 1981.

He said Mr. Abass’ arrest was politically motivated because of “date error”.

“We note with great alarm the politically motivated arrest and unwarranted media attacks designed as a tool of harassment, persecution and character assassination of the PDP flag bearer, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke,” he said.

Mr. Adeleke called on police authorities to redirect their attention to “investigating and solving real crimes and not trumped up accusations”.

“We therefore call on the police authorities to unconditionally release Mr. Abbass Khalib Adejare, the principal of Ede Muslim High School who is currently held in Lagos, a distant and disconnected jurisdiction of school in Ede, Osun State.”

“The school under his supervision had only performed a legal administrative duty through the issuance of a testimonial. Please note that a testimonial is simply a statement of character attestation and confirmation of the years of attendance at the school and not a school certificate,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, unimpressed by the statement, a group in Osun, Renewal Youth Movement (RYM), has demanded his withdrawal from the September 22 Osun State governorship election.

The group in a statement signed by two of its leaders, Muftau Adegoke and Rasheed Adegbenro, said Mr. Adeleke ought not to have sailed through the party process in the first place and demanded that those that conducted the screening be investigated as well.

“If PDP leaders are sincere; if they are not corrupt and if they want the good of all, Senator Adeleke ought not to have scaled through the party’s screening process in the first instance. Those who conducted the screening should also be investigated. They cannot be naïve not to know genuine documents from fake.

The group said the only saving grace for Mr. Adeleke is to step aside by allowing a “more competent person” to contest the election under the PDP platform.

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“Our group is of the firm opinion that the PDP has lost the election before the contest and even if the party wins, such victory will definitely be short-lived as co-contestants from other political parties by now must have prepared grounds for the Tribunal.”