… Civil Rights Group Threaten Legal Action Against IGP

By Edozie Obasi-Eze

Well-meaning Nigerians are decrying the charade and connivance of the political elite against the law and with the law to defraud the electorate.

The media space, particularly digital and social, found itself inundated lately with observations, including eye witness and personal accounts of alleged perjury by one of the contenders to the office of the president of Nigeria.

Recall that Bola Ahmed Tunubu beat other contenders to the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2023 presidential elections, recently.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of legal requirements made public the documentation submitted to it by those running for electoral positions.

This availed the public of what now appears like the startling revelation that the former governor of Lagos State, was ‘mute’, albeit in writing, under oath on the primary and secondary schools he attended.

This left those who claim to know wondering aloud how such could be.

A Twitter user, Femi Aribisala, took to his verified Twitter handle @femiaribisala to vent his frustration at the flagrant disregard for the laws of the land by Tinubu.

He twitted that Tinubu was guilty of perjury because his present claims vary from details of an earlier affidavit he submitted to INEC.

Key on the Aribisala’s observation includes Tinubu’s claim under oath that he attended the Government College Ibadan (GCI) from 1965-1968. Probably in a veiled acceptance that he erred, Tinubu opted to expunge this from his personal documentation to INEC this time around.

However, Aribisala in calling this out, maintained that he was a student of the GCI between 1962-1968 but never noticed Tinubu’s presence there. “I was in GCI from 1962-1968, and Tinubu was not there,” he twitted.

He further averred that after he called out this misdemeanor in 2014, Tinubu has opted to mute that aspect of his life with a claim that he attended neither primary nor secondary school but holds several university certificates.

Aribasala twitted, “I wrote in 2014 that Tinubu’s affidavit that he attended Government College Ibadan (GCI) between 1965 and 1968 is false.

“I was in GCI from 1962-1968, and Tinubu was not there.

“Tinubu now tells INEC he did not go to primary or secondary school.

“This means he committed perjury.”

The tweet, as at Sunday had witnessed 11.3k retweets, 585 quotes, and 24.5k likes.

Another Twitter user, Daniel Regha, @DanielRegha in responding to Aribisala’s tweet, averred that the APC presidential flag bearer was also guilty of forgery.

Regha tweeted thus, “Tinubu didn’t only commit perjury. It’s safe to say that he also committed forgery because there’s no way one can get admitted into the tertiary institution without completing secondary school.

“This is the man many deem credible to lead Nigeria into prosperity? We are our own problems.”

The matter has been prominent in the social media space since Friday and has seen segments of the public pitched against one another.

The contention saw several critics and analysts airing their views on the matter, while Tinubu’s loyalists were working hard to counter.

Read Also >> Timi Frank Asks INEC To Disqualify Tinubu Over Certificate Controversy

In a veiled salvo on the matter, a journalist and public affairs analyst, Ikem Okuhu took to his social media page to point out that great men don’t fall from the sky.

He listed the names of his teachers in primary school, through the six classes and stated “I didn’t fall from the skies.”

In a more direct position, though, Okuhu averred in his Facebook page that he could recall over 20 of his primary school mates, over 30 of his secondary school mates, while his course mates at the university remain like family, fresh in memory.

He wrote, “I can mention at least 20 people that started primary school with me. If I think well, I can mention 30 or more of them with relative ease.

“Those I attended secondary school with are even easier. We are in the same WhatsApp group of which I am the admin.

“Those who were with me in the Mass Communication Department of the University of Nigeria (UNN) are of more recent memory. I also administer our WhatsApp group.

“I didn’t drop from the skies.”

While the issue continues to engage the attention of the media and public affairs analysts, some political gladiators are poised to test the efficacy of the judiciary in solving what a segment of the public describes as the mystery of Tinubu’s academic background.

The Centre for Reforms and Public Advocacy (CPRA) has made clear its intention to test the matter at the law courts. The Legal Adviser of the CRPA and human rights lawyer, Agu Kalu, divulged the position at a press conference in Abuja on Saturday.

The CRPA has given the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, a 48-hour ultimatum to arrest and initiate criminal prosecution against Tinubu for allegedly supplying false academic qualifications to secure the nomination.

According to the group, should the IG fail to comply, they will approach a court of competent jurisdiction for an order of mandamus to compel him to effect the arrest of the APC flag bearer at the end of the ultimatum.