News reports have emerged that Senator Foster Ogola, representing Bayelsa South, has joined the list of those of who have been enmeshed in forgery of certificate scandal. But the Senator’s case seems largely different from the group he is being dragged into neither does the issue actually relate to his Office, unlike is being suggested. Even more the description of the certificate as fake is contestable.
The Discovery
According to the media reports, Ogala has a “fake” Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), from GMF Christian University; a school which is not accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
On his official National Assembly profile, the Senator is credited with having a Ph.D. in Christian Leadership from the GMF Christian University Lagos, the same course he reportedly has a Masters degree in from the Imo State University, Owerri.
According to the Director of Corporate Communications of NUC, Ibrahim Yakasai, the supposed University has not been heard of by the Commission and is not registered officially under them. Although the weekly bulletin published by the NUC which showed the 57 illegal Universities operating the Country, did not have GMF Christian University among the list.
Other discoveries reveal that the GMF Christian University still has no website offering information on the institution or its courses and there is no information on the Christian Leadership course the Senator purports to have a Ph.D. in.
When the lawmaker was contacted on the illegality of his degree and the school that awarded it, he evaded the question, crediting the allegations to “third parties”, whom he described as “criminal in nature.”
The location of the University was visited by investigative journalist from TheCable and it was discovered that it was hosted in the second floor of a two-storey building with one lecture room and three separate offices.
However, according to the Registrar of GMF, the school does not operate as a regular university; hence it’s not being registered under NUC.
The wrong list
Foster’s case is not the first instance of a certificate scandal involving a Nigerian lawmaker, but his carries some difference from the others in that he is not being accused of forgery, but of not having a valid certificate, as the school he got it from is unaccredited.
In contrast, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari, was accused of forging his Toronto certificate. TheNews wrote the University of Toronto and it was not a case of the University not accredited but that of Mr. Salisu not having been there as a student. The University had replied
“Regarding your request for confirmation of degree for Mr Ibrahim Salisu Buhari. We have searched our records and could not find anybody with the name you are inquiring with”
Mr. Salisu was also said to have falsified his age as he was younger than the required age to be in the National Assembly. He admitted this when he said
“I apologize to you. I apologize to the nation. I apologize to my family and friends for all the distress I have caused them. I was misled in error by zeal to serve the nation, I hope the nation will forgive me and give me the opportunity to serve again.”
Honourable Nse Ekpenyong, representing Oron Federal constituency in the National Assembly was arraigned last year, by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on a 9-count charge of forgery and alteration of documents.
Ekpenyong was alleged to have forged an Abia State Polytechnic Ordinary National Diploma, OND, certificate.
EFCC also accused the lawmaker of altering a December 1999 West African Examination School Certificate, WASSCE, which he presented before an electoral tribunal, claiming they were genuine.
Both lawmakers were accused of forgery, not having an invalid certificate. The difference is better seen in the fact that forgery and false declaration is a crime, but attending a University that is not accredited is not. The Senator did not alter the name of his school, his school is just not recognized.
In addition, recognition of the school he attended after his School Cert is largely unrelated to his being a Senator as the requirement to be Senator ends School Certificate level.
The prerequisite for being a Senator
Section 65 sub-section 1-2 state the qualifications required to contest a position in the Senate or House of Representatives.
- Subject to the provisions of section 66 of this Constitution, a person shall be qualified for election as a member of:
(a) The Senate, if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of 35 years; and
(b) The House of Representatives, if he is a citizen of Nigeria and has attained the age of 30 years;
(2) A person shall be qualified for election under subsection (1) of this section if:
(a) He has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent; and
(b) He is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that party.
How Unique to Nigeria?
Unlike Nigeria, lawmakers in the US have not been in the news for certificate forgery due to the requirements of the constitution which demands no educational qualification.
Article 1, section 2 of the US Constitution set three qualifications to be a House of Representatives member.
- Must be at least 25 years old.
- Must have been a citizen of the United States for the past seven years
- Must be an inhabitant of the State they represent
The same Article, section 3 also set three requirements to be a Senator which are:
- Must be at least 30 years old.
- Must have been a citizen of the United States for the past nine years and
- Must be an inhabitant of the State they seek to represent.
Although South Africa did not state an educational qualification for becoming a lawmaker or public office holder, it has had its own fair share of certificate scandal.
In 2014, Politician and Anti-Apartheid activist, Pallo Jordan resigned after it was revealed that he forged his CV by claiming to have a doctorate degree.
A report in South Africa’s Sunday Times newspaper said that its investigation found that the ANC veteran had no degrees or diplomas from the University of Wisconsin-Madison or the London School of Economics, the two institutions cited on his CV.
He later apologised and resigned.
South Africa’s Ambassador to Japan, Mohau Pheko, claimed to have a Ph.D. from La Salle University, but the school had closed down in 1996 when it emerged it was selling degrees and other academic qualifications online.
Pheko apologised for misrepresenting her qualifications on her CV, saying she registered for and worked towards her degree with La Salle, but did not complete the qualification.
Former Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Sicelo Shiceka, claimed to have a Master’s degree in political economy from the University of the Free State, which was later found to be untrue.
