Reps recommend arrest of Buhari's aide for alleged certificate forgery

An ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives has submitted a report to the House where it recommended the arrest and prosecution of President Muhammadu Buharis Special Assistant on Prosecutions,

According to the committee, Obono-Obla, the Chairman, Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, forged the secondary school certificate which he used to gain admission to study Law in the University of Jos.

According to a report by Vanguard, the committee, chaired by Ahman Pategi, who recently defected from the All Progressives' Congress (APC) to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), said the certificate saga has put Obono-Obla's "integrity and character" into doubt, especially as he's refused to honour invitations to be questioned.

The committee noted, "In view of the petition received from Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria against the Chairman of the panel, Chief Okoi Obono Obla, copies of the statement of result, which he was alleged to have used to gain admission to study Law was sent to the West African Examination Council and University of Jos for verification.

"The university confirmed that the statement of result sent to it was the result Chief Obla used to gain admission to study Law. However, the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the result for Candidate No: 094051247 May/June 1982, showed that the candidate was absent at the exam for Literature. In the result with University of Jos, he claimed to have credit in Literature in English in the statement of result issued to him by Mary Knoll College, Calabar.

"However, WAEC disclaimed the result in the Certified True Copy sent to the committee. This cast doubt as to the integrity and character of the Chairman of the Panel."The committee proceeded to recommend that the Obono-Obla be arrested and charged to court for forgery and misrepresentation.

The committee also recommeded that Obono-Obla be fired as Buhari's aide and urged the president to dissolve the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property due to the arbitrary abuse of office committed by its chairman.

The committee further called on the Body of Benchers to withdraw Obono-Obla's Law School Certificate because it was obtained through fraud.

Obono-Obla responds to allegations

In his response to the allegations of forgery, Obono-Obla said the committee has no power to investigate his panel or his educational qualifications.

He described the committee's findings as a "hatchet job" done to "smear and ridicule" him by lawmakers who are being investigated by his panel. He noted that the forgery allegation can only be investigated by the police since it is a criminal offence.

The committee submitted its report to the House on Tuesday, July 24, but it won't be considered until it resumes legislative sittings in September.