Certificate Forgery: UI finally opens up on Obaseki’s certificate

The University of Ibadan (UI) has finally spoken on the issue of the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki certificate over the allegation of certificate forgery leveled against him by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The APC and one of its members, Mr Williams Edobor had sued Obaseki, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, seeking the disqualification of Obaseki in September 19 governorship election over alleged forgery and perjury.

But the University of Ibadan (UI) on Wednesday confirmed that Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki graduated from the institution in 1979 with a Second Class Honours (Lower Division).

This was confirmed in a statement by the university’s Registrar, Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi, who said that Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, studied Classics.

The statement also revealed that the Governor gained admission to the university in 1976.

“Records of his admission and graduation are intact in the archives of the university.” the statement said.”

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Meanwhile, the APC on Wednesday tendered two more documents in support of its allegation of certificate forgery leveled against the Godwin Obaseki, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

One of the documents was the original copy of a first-degree certificate awarded to Emmanuel Balogun and by the University of Ibadan on July 6, 1979.

Obaseki had said he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classics from the same university in the same year.

The other document admitted as exhibit by the court was a report of a forensic document examiner, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr Raphael Onwuzuligbo.

The documents were tendered by the plaintiffs’ witnesses who were led by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN).

Justice Ahmed Mohammed admitted the two documents as exhibits.

Under cross-examination by the defence, Balogun had said he had never seen Obaseki’s original certificate to tell if it was forged or not.

He said, “I have never set my eyes on original certificates of the 1st Defendant, Godwin Obaseki.

“Because I have not seen any of Governor Obaseki’s original certificates, I am not in a position to make comments on any of them.

“As at 1976, there were different entry requirements for prelim and direct entry students.

“As at then, admission requirements varied from one faculty to the other.

“The basic requirement for admission was five credits, including Mathematics and English, but anyone coming in through direct entry must have made the 5 credits and then choose two subjects in HSC.

“Generally, a certificate is signed by the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, with a date on it.

“Generally, all certificates issued by the University of Ibadan had a coloured logo on it.”

Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned till Thursday (today) to enable the defence to cross-examine Onwuzuligbo whose report of forensic document examiner was admitted as an exhibit.

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