A member of House of Representatives representing Lafia/Obi Federal Constituency in Nasarawa state on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Abubakar Dahiru, has been summoned by a high court sitting in Jos, Plateau State to appear before it and answer questions surrounding his certificates.
The court gave the writs of summon following a suit filed by Dr. Haruna Kigbu, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a former occupant of the seat who also contested it with Dahiru at the 2015 general elections.
Kigbu who is challenging Dahiru’s victory at the tribunal in Lafia, filed a concurrent suit against Dahiru on Sepember 23, accusing him of not having the certificate he claimed to posses and that he lied on oath in the form filed in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) form.
According to the plaintiff, the defendant did not make his West African Certificate Examination Council (WAEC), which could have qualified him for admission to pursue a National Diploma at Kaduna Polytechnic, and a Higher National Diploma at the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, and also a Post Graduate Diploma and a degree in Business Administration at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi.
The plaintiff explained that, “Dahiru attended Science School Kuru, Jos South LGA, Plateau state and completed his secondary education in 1985 after sitting for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) with Center number 20502, Candidate’s serial number 166 wherein he was issued WAEC general certificate of education in June 1985 with certificate number NGSG 374399.
He added that “the only subject passed by the defendant was Islamic Religious Knowledge with P7, while he score F9 in other subjects, English language F9, Geography F9, Economics F9, Mathematics, F9, Biology F9, Agricultural Science F9 and Chemistry F9.
Kigbu stated that the certificates issued by the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University to Dahiru were null and void as they cannot stand on the National Diploma obtained without the minimum admission requirement.
The plaintiff averred that “the accused cunningly conceals his WAEC result which is the foundation for his admission to obtain a valid National Diploma certificate from the Federal Polytechnic Kaduna which he would qualify to acquire other certificates, saying that he was not qualified to have been admitted nor was he qualified to acquire the National Diploma, Higher National Diploma nor any other certificate from the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and Abubakar Tafawa Belewa University, Bauchi.
He stated that each time the defendant apply for any admission, he circumvent the system to get admitted saying he did that with the aid of the various institution who refused to screen him and verify his credentials especially the secondary school certificate which is the foundation for further study.
Kigbu sought for an order directing all the tertiary institutions attended by Dahiru to withdraw their certificates forthwith.
He also sought for an order directing the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), to withdraw certificate of membership issued to Dahiru which was dated September 2002 with No. 4428 because it was issued without the basic requirement.
He also declared that Dahiru’s prior job with the Industrial Training Fund(ITF), was secured and sustained by cheating, falsehood and deceit. It therefore sought for an order directing the accused to refund all the salaries, emoluments, privileges earlier obtained from ITF with a letter of apology in two national newspapers.
Kigbu also sought for a mandatory order compelling the Speaker of the House of Representative or his principal officers to restrain the defendant from participating in the proceedings on the floor of the House alleging that his conduct fell short of expectations from of a member of the House.
