Even as the Senator Representing Imo West Orlu zone, Chief Hope Uzodimma has barely a year to complete his first tenure in the Senate, fresh trouble is still starring before him over allegations of false academic credentials leveled against him by an Activist and whistle blower, in Imo state Nze Ebubeagu Godwin Ekenulo.
It would be recalled that Ekenulo had gone to court to challenge the veracity or otherwise of claims by the senator concerning his academic qualifications.
While the earlier matter by Ekenulo seems to have subsided and both parties sheathing their swords, the Activist resumed again by instituting a fresh case against the Federal University of Technology, FUTO, West African Examination Council, WAEC, FUTO Registrar, Attorney General of the Federation and the Senator.
In Suit No: FHC/OW/CS/55/2012 between Ebubeagu Godwin Ekenulo and the Registrar, FUTO, Attorney General of the Federal and Senator Hope Uzodimma in an Amended Originating Summons, deposed by the claimant’s plaintiff (Ekenulo) after a five paragraph questions if answered in the affirmative sought several reliefs which anchors on a Declaration of the Court “that the 1st defendant, the Registrar of FUTO is under obligation of the law to avail the plaintiff (Ekenulo) the information he sought for vide letter date 19th day of July 2012 and received by the defendant or give the plaintiff reason for denial of the information sought for as well as a declaration that the FUTO Registrar has contravened the Freedom of Information. Act 2011, when he ignored, refused and failed to avail the plaintiff, notify him why his application was denied as required by law.
While seeking a declaration that Uzodimma does not have “the requisite ordinary level qualification (WASC or GCE) condition precedent to be admitted by FUTO for the purported Higher National Diploma in maritime Technology or at all”, it also asked for a declaration compelling FUTO to make available the information sought for by the plaintiff to wit “Certified True Copy of” (a) Whether FUTO gave the 4th defendant admission to study Maritime Technology at HND levels (b) the details of the course of study and duration (c) the degree of certificate awarded and year of graduation (d) the GCE or WASC certificate submitted by the 4th defendant (Uzodimma) that qualified him for the purported admission”.
The claimant through his lawyer, Alex N.N Williams Esq of AN. N Williams & Co (Tete chambers) in the reliefs sought in the Amended Originating Summons requested an order of the court compelling the 4th defendant (Uzodimma) to bring the original copy of his WASC or GCE certificate or his O-Level qualifying certificate with which he obtained the admission to study Maritime Technology at HND levels to court for inspection” and citing the 1st and 2nd defendants for trial in line with the FOI Act 2011.
The claimant made the relief to the honourable court based on the provisions of section (1) and of the FOI Act 2011 which states that; “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, law or Regulation, the right of any person to access or request information, whether or not contained in any written from, which is the custody or possession of any public official, agency or institution howsoever described is established”
The claimants lawyer had in a letter dated 19/07/2012 addressed to FUTO Registrar noted that based on an interview the Senator Uzodimma granted This day Newspaper of Sunday June 24, 2012, where the Senator was quoted as saying that he got admission in FUTO to study Maritime Technology at the HND level, warranted the application to confirm the veracity of the claim particularly with regard to HND degrees.
The Williams application to FUTO according to their letter was brought pursuant to section 2 (1) and (2) of the FOI Act 2011 for the issuance of the certified True Copy of the certificate and details.
Ekenulo’s lawyer in a similar letter to the National Universities Commission (NUC), the regulatory body in response to a request on FUTO and HND programmes in Maritime Technology in a letter addressed to AN.N Williams& Co while disclosing NUC website for accredited programs in Nigeria universities noted that FUTO is not approved by the NUC to award HND in any programme.
Trumpeta learnt from the court proceedings that in the Suit No FHC/OW/CS 2012, the matter was between Ekenulo, FUTO Registrar, FUTO and Attorney General before the Senator through his lawyer on the 18th day of November 2013 applied to be joined as co-defendant in the suit which the Federal High Court on the 26th day of March 2014 made an order joining them as 4th defendant.
It was the joinder of the Senator that made amendment of the suit necessary hence the Amended Originating Summons where the claimant (Ekenulo) is seeking court mandate for FUTO to produce the True Certificate Copy of the Senator’s Certificate.
The matter was not limited to FUTO alone. In the Federal High Court, Lagos judicial Division, in the same matter between Ekenulo Vs WAEC, Head of National Office and Attorney General of the Federal and Minister for Justice, Williams also sought an order of the court compelling the defendants particularly 1st and 2nd defendants to make available “a Certified True Copy of comprehensive list of all candidates that registered and sat for the 1981, 1982, and 1983 Academic year(s) School Certificate Examinations conducted by WAEC at Mgbidi Boys Secondary School in Oru Imo state .
No date has been fixed yet for the case.
Meanwhile the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri yesterday struck out case instituted by the Inspector General of police against the member representing Ideato South in the Imo State House of Assembly Hon Ikechukwu Kelvin Amuka of certificate forgery on the ground of abuse of court process.
Delivering the ruling the presiding judge justice SM Shuiabu rejected the application of the defence counsel N Epele, which prayed for the withdrawal of an interlocutory order made by the court to arraign the two accused persons Ikechukwu Amuka and Eustace Amuka.
However, the court faulted the filling of another case which is totally the same with the pending case against the same persons by the same claimant. On that premise the court declared the action as abuse of court process and went ahead to struck the two cases out.
It will be recalled that the forgery case institute against Hon Amuka is a five count charge matter accusing him that he does not process the minimum educational certificate for elective position in Nigeria, and that the one he is parading is forged as the said certificate does not have Ikechukwu Amuka’s passport but Eustace Amuka’s with Ikechukwu’s name making it a criminal offence punishable under criminal code.
The prosecutors, Barr C.I Obi said that when they get the certified copy of the ruling from the court they will then know the next action to take. Maintaining that no criminal will go unpunished as long as the court remains the temple of justice world over.
