Forgery: House report indicts Okoi Obono-Obla
- A new report has indicted the special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution Okoi Obono-Obla
- The report by the House of Representatives accused Obono-Obla of forging his secondary school certificate and wrongful utilisation of public funds
- The House in its report asked Obono-Obla to refund N17 million excess funds collected as honoraria for sittings received as chairman of a Special Investigative Panel
The special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution, Okoi Obono-Obla, has been indicted by a report by the House of Representatives over forgery of his secondary school certificate and wrongful utilisation of public funds.
In its report, the House also asked Obono-Obla and members of Special Investigative Panel, which he serves as chairman to refund N17 million excess funds collected as honoraria for sittings. They were also indicted for violation of the presidential order on flying business class.
Vanguard reports that the House had received a petition that the chairman of the presidential panel forged the secondary school certificate with which he used in gaining admission to study Law in the University of Jos.
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Also responding to the allegation, the university confirmed that the result which the West African Examinations Council, deposed was forged and was what Obono-Obla presented to gain admission into the university to read Law.
In its reaction, the House said: “In view of the petition received from Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria against the Chairman of the panel, Chief Okoi Obono Obla, copies of the statement of result, which he was alleged to have used to gain admission to study Law was sent to the West African Examination Council and University of Jos for verification."
The university confirmed that the statement of result sent to it was the result Chief Obla used to gain admission to study Law.
“However, the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the result for Candidate No: 094051247 May/June 1982, showed that the candidate was absent at the exam for Literature. In the result with University of Jos, he claimed to have credit in Literature in English in the statement of result issued to him by Mary Knoll College, Calabar. However, WAEC disclaimed the result in the Certified True Copy sent to the committee," the House said.
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The House also called for the withdrawal of Obono-Obla's certificate by the University of Jos.
”In its recommendations, the House panel, among others, in its report deposed that the “Law degree obtained by Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, having been done fraudulently, should be withdrawn by the University of Jos.
“The Body of Benchers should withdraw the Law School Certificate awarded to Ofem, Okoi Ofem (now known as Chief Okoi Obono-Obla) as this was based on the degree which he obtained from the University of Jos through fraud. House lacks power to investigate my educational qualification—Obono-Obla Responding to the allegations," the House report said.
However, reacting to the report by the House of Representatives, Obono-Obla said he has taken legal action against the lawmakers.
“We are in court challenging the power of the committee to investigate my panel as well investigate my educational qualifications. The House of Representatives has no power to investigate my educational qualifications. If is alleged that I forged any certificate it is a criminal offence that has to be investigated by the Police.
“The House of Representatives has no power to investigate crime. This is a hatchet job masterminded by some members of the National Assembly who are under investigation by my panel. The intention is to smear and ridicule me," Obono-Obla added.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Obono-Obla had clashed with a human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, over an executive bill aimed to tackle corruption and recently signed by the Nigerian leader.
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Effiong had declared that the preservation of suspicious assets connected with corruption and other relevant offences executive order number 6 of 2018 cannot stand the test of the constitution. He had argued with several illustrations that he is aware that the proceeds of crime bill, 2017 is still pending before the National Assembly.
Effiong also said the government should be exerting more pressure on the parliament to pass it into law.
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Source: Legit.ng
