The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun might be in fresh trouble if revelations from Sunday INDEPENDENT newspaper's investigations are anything to go by.
Sunday INDEPENDENT, in an exclusive news feature published Sunday August 4, had 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 Channels TV interview) 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, Sunday INDEPENDENT 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.
The newspaper also pointed out many discrepancies in what Abiodun filled in his INEC forms in 2015 and 2019; fuelling speculations that the Heyden Petroleum boss might have lied on oath; an act known as perjury and punishable under the law.
If found culpable, Abiodun, though enjoys immunity, risks 14 years imprisonment, according to the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, Volume 4, Cap C38, Part III, Chapter 14, Section 118.
Section 118 of the Criminal Code reads: “Any person who commits perjury is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.”
The Sunday INDEPENDENT report reads:
"...there are still many unanswered questions trailing the past of the governor and some vexed issues surrounding the educational history of Governor Abiodun have refused to disappear from the public place.
"No thanks to the governor or perhaps the situation that presented itself during his popular interview on a television programme where he failed to clear the air on some grey areas.
"When confronted with a question during the interview which preceded the election, the only explanation offered by the then gubernatorial candidate was that, “There are no issues about my certificate, that matter is in court and talking about it would be sub judice.” When pressed further by the anchor of the programme, especially on his claim on Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Abiodun said, “I prefer not to comment, but I can tell you that I never claimed to have finished from University of Ife at any point in time, I never did. I went to school in University of Ife, but I didn’t graduate from University of Ife. I never claimed to have gotten a degree from Ife.”
"Not satisfied with the claims, Abiodun’s runner up in the election, Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has further taken the matter before the Ogun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal where the three-man panel headed by Justice Halilu Yusuf, admitted in evidence, Abiodun’s INEC form CF001.
"Abiodun’s claims in his INEC forms CF 001 both in 2015 when he contested the Senatorial seat of Ogun East and that of 2019 when he contested for the governorship seat, raise a lot of concerns and questions begging for answers not only on his educational background, but other claims in the affidavit in support of personal particulars before the electoral body.
"EDUCATION BACKGROUND
In his form CF 001 filled in 2015, a Certified True Copy obtained by Sunday INDEPENDENT, under Primary School: Abiodun claimed to have attended “Comprehensive High School, Ayetoro State Primary School” and under Secondary School: he further claimed to have finished from “Ondo High School, Ondo” between 1977 and 1978 where he obtained a “WASC Division 1 in 1978”. Apart from the fact that the certificate was not attached to the form, his claim could not be verified when Sunday INDEPENDENT visited the school, now, Ondo Boys High School in Ondo town.
"The Principal of the school, who identified himself simply as Mr. Adeyemi, said he could not readily verify the claims of Abiodun because of a recent fire incident in the school, he however insisted that any student who attended the over 100-year-old school would have his or her name in the students’ directory published by the school.
"After several checks on the directory spanning two days, which involved other staff of the school, Abiodun’s name could not be located on the students’ directory for 1977.
"In his 2019 INEC form CF 001, Abiodun claimed to have attended “International Primary School Ayetoro 1971”. This is contrary to his earlier claim in 2015. He also omitted the name of the secondary school attended, but only wrote ‘WAEC certificate, 1978‘ in the space provided for Schools Attended/Education Qualification with date.
"Although Abiodun attached a WAEC certificate in his 2019 form, the headquarters of West African Examination Council, WAEC, was yet to confirm the authenticity of the certificate; more than three weeks after the request was made.
"On his claim to have attended University of Ife, Abiodun’s assertion in 2015 suggested that he graduated from Ife in 1986 when he wrote ‘University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, 1986), the same claim he discredited in the said television interview.
"Sunday INDEPENDENT also visited the university, but the paper is still on the trail of Abiodun’s record in the institution. But more curious, however, is the omission of the university in the same form in 2019.
"In 2015, Abiodun claimed to have obtained ‘B.BA (Hons) Accounting’ at the Kennesaw State Universities (sic) in 1989, but contrary to this, a certificate affixed to the same form reads ‘Bachelor of Business Administration’.
"All these were also contrary to his claim during the television interview when he said, “I do have Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting, and I would love to stop at that.”
"WORK EXPERIENCE
Other observations on the face of the two forms (INEC forms CF001 2015 and 2019) filled by Abiodun is his work experience.
"In 2015, the governor claimed to have worked with Heyden Petroleum Limited from 2001 till date, but in 2019, Abiodun claimed to have worked with the same company from 1993 till date. All these controversial and contradictory claims were made under sworn affidavit.
"A further check on the company’s website, (http://heydenpetroleum.com/profile.htm) which still has Abiodun as its CEO/Managing Director till date, confirmed that the company was incorporated on October 30, 2001 and not 1993 as claimed under oath by Abiodun in 2019.
"In order to satisfy its curiosity, Sunday INDEPENDENT also checked the records at the headquarters of the Corporate Affairs Commission and several sources confirmed that the company was incorporated in 2001 and not 1993.
"This, of course, is a pointer that Abiodun lied on oath in his form CF 001 in 2019 which amounts to perjury under the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation.
"If found culpable, Abiodun though enjoys immunity, he risks 14 years imprisonment, according to the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, Volume 4, Cap C38, Part III, Chapter 14, Section 118.
"Section 118 of the Criminal Code reads: “Any person who commits perjury is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years.”
"The offence of perjury in Section 117 of the code reads, “Any person who, in any judicial proceeding, or for the purpose of instituting any judicial proceeding, knowingly gives false testimony touching any matter which is material to any question then depending in that proceeding, or intended to be raised in that proceeding, is guilty of an offence, which is called perjury.”
"The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, as at press time, was yet to respond to clarifications sought from him on behalf of his principal.
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