Politics

Certificate Forgery Allegation: Ayedatiwa Threatens To Drag Lawyer To Court

Published

2 years ago

April 8, 2024

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has threatened to sue a lawyer, Hassan Oladotun, for allegedly circulating a report maliciously designed to disqualify him from participating in the state governorship primary election.

Oladotun had, on June 2, 2023, petitioned the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the academic credentials of the governor.

After the conclusion of the investigation, the lawyer filed a Freedom of Information request through which he received a copy of the investigation report.

A copy of the report obtained by our correspondent addressed to Oladotun and signed by DCP Tahir Usman, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, stated that the police investigation into Aiyedatiwa’s O’level certificate did not find evidence that the Ondo governor attended Ikosi High School, Ikosi-Ketu, Lagos.

However, the police in a statement on Friday by the Force Spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, denied the authenticity of the report.

In response to the police denial, Oladotun petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Police Service Commission, insisting that the report was authentic, adding that he received a copy of the report through a Freedom of Information request that he filed.

In the petition dated April 5, which was obtained by our correspondent, Oladotun called for the intervention of the IG and the PSC to prevent the report of the investigation from being altered.

In a new turn of events, the governor, through his lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), said Aiyedatiwa sat for the West African School Certificate Examination and his results were genuine.

In a letter addressed to Oladotun on April 8, a copy which was obtained by The PUNCH on Monday, Adegboruwa said steps were taken to confirm the allegations against the governor which had been proved to be untrue.

“Upon your chorused repetition of this falsehood against our client, we took steps to conduct a verification exercise and indeed confirmed the authenticity of his West African School Certificate Examination results. We challenge you to proceed to do the same with the following particulars:

Name of the Candidate: Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa; Centre Number: 15592; Examination Number: 019; Centre: Ikosi High School, Ikosi-Ketu, Lagos State. Date of Examination: May/June, GCE O/L, 1982.

“The search will bring out the following results in favour of our client: English Language: 8; Bible Knowledge: 6; Economics: 4; Health Science: 8; Commerce: 3; Accounts: 7; Business Management: 8”, the letter partly read.

He, however, demanded a public apology published in three newspapers and withdrawal of the publications made regarding the governor’s certificate.

Adegboruwa said, “In the light of all the foregoing, we have the instructions of our client to demand from you as follows: a public apology, to be published in at least three newspapers with wide circulation all over Nigeria.

“An unconditional withdrawal of all false and malicious publications made of and concerning the West African School Certificate Examination result. of our client.

“An unconditional withdrawal of your letters to the Nigeria Police Force in respect of the West African School Certificate Examination results of our client.

“An unconditional withdrawal of your letters to the All Progressives Congress in respect of the West African School Certificate Examination results of our cient.

“A conditional withdrawal of your letters to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in respect of the West African School Certificate Examination results of our client.”

Adegboruwa also demanded compensation for the false publications made against the governor.

He said, “Adequate compensation for the false and libellous publications made of and concerning our client based on his status, position in life, and political career. To cease from authoring, publishing, or in any other manner circulating further false and libellous publications of and concerning our client.”

Adegboruwa, however, noted that should Oladotun fail to meet their demands seven days after receiving the letter, the governor would institute legal action against him.

He said, “Take notice that if you fail, refuse, and/or neglect to comply with the above-stated demands within seven clear days of your receipt of this letter, we shall proceed to execute our client’s further instructions to explore all lawful means to seek redress against you without further notice to you.”
PUNCH

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Politics

What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

Published

16 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, of being a constant agent of provocation in the political space, alleging that he creates trouble to mask selfish intentions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in response to Wike’s media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, also held on Monday.

According to the PDP, remarks made by the minister on several occasions are proof that he falls short of being a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.

The party said Wike’s conduct was not new, stressing that he has consistently acted as an agent provocateur in the political arena, stirring controversy to advance personal interests.

The PDP further stated that since Wike assumed office as Governor of Rivers State in 2015, he has remained a recurrent source of trouble within the party’s leadership.

“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus.

“The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.

“By his end-of-year media chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement said.

Politics

JUST IN: INEC Excludes PDP From Ekiti Governorship Election

Published

17 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, and his deputy were conspicuously absent as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the provisional list of party candidates ahead of the election.

INEC on Monday posted the list of candidates from 12 political parties vying for the state’s top job at its office on New Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The list shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, with Monisade Afuye as his running mate.

Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as running mate.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress is presenting Oluwadare Bejide and Paul Olowoyeye, while the Action Peoples Party has Bidemi Awogbemi and Akinyemi Adewumi on its ticket.

The PDP’s absence may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis currently rocking the party at the national level.

Politics

Wike Speaks On Defecting To APC

Published

22 hours ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, dismissed any possibility of dumping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Wike, however, disclosed that a lot of PDP leaders will join him if he decides to defect to the APC.

The Minister, who spoke during his media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said: “Today, if I say that I want to go to APC that will be the end of even talking about it.

“You will see other states, joining, leaders in other states joining, I’m not a leader that’s concentrated in the state. No.

“If today I say gentlemen, we have had enough of PDP we have to move, watch those who will decamp in Benue, Plateau, Abia, Edo.”

The Minister also declared that he is still a member of the PDP, hence Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State is unhappy.

“I’m a member of the PDP, that’s why I’m still there and Seyi is not happy. That’s not correct, that you are a member of the assembly or council Chairman or National Assembly does not mean that there is no other person,” he added.