Emerging report reaching Page 36 on Sunday, indicates that the University of Ibadan, UI, has faulted the claim made by the All Progressives Congress’, APC, Screening Committee, that it awarded 2 academic certificates with separate dates to the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, which was cited as one of the reasons for his disqualification from the party’s Governorship primary election in Edo State.
Presenting its report to the National Working Committee, NWC, headed by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, on Saturday, the APC Screening Appeal Committee, led by Abubakar Fari, said: “It is inconceivable that the same University will award two certificates with separate dates for the same graduate.
“We also find it difficult to vouch for the authenticity of his National Youth Service Corps certificate, there is no indication as to where he served. We find that he should be disqualified.”
Oshiomhole commended the Chairman and members of the Appeal Committee, for doing a “meticulous” job, saying: “It appears you were extremely meticulous to details, and you justified ours, not in terms of your findings, but in terms of what you were able to amplify. That you have an eye for very important details.
“We are happy you were able to finish this work timeously. This is the final appeal level, what is left now is the NWC will meet and take a decision one way or the other.”
Nonetheless, when contacted on Sunday, the UI Registrar, Olubunmi Faluyi, restated that Obaseki remains an alumnus of the prestigious Institution.
He added that the Institution’s stand remains as contained in an earlier statement that, “Obaseki gained admission to the University in 1976, and graduated in 1979, with a Second Class Honours, Lower Division. Records of his Admission and Graduation are intact in the archives of the University”.
The UI Director of Public Communications, Olatunji Oladejo, also stated clearly that the claim by the APC is not true.
He said: “We stand by our statement on Obaseki. How can you issue two certificates to a Candidate? That is not true. It is not possible. He graduated in 1979, from the University. We issued only one certificate to him, not two.”
