[size=14pt]Masari/Kanti Bello’s feud raises concern in Katsina APC[/size]


These are not the best of times for the Katsina State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as two key political figures in the just concluded gubernatorial primary election; Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, the party’s governorship candidate and Senator Kanti Bello and the runner-up, are battling over allegation of certificate forgery. The issue is already causing serious misgivings in the party.
Since the emergence of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives as the APC gubernatorial candidate in Katsina State, the defeated aspirants have been showing indifferent feelings to his victory. Notable among them was Senator Kanti Bello. Senator Bello had threatened to institute a legal action against Masari over alleged certificate forgery if the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not take any action on the matter.
This new twist is re-opening an old feud between the two. The opposition party, particularly the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) suffered similar fate in the past.
Bello is believed to be a dogged fighter who never gives up easily. His antecedents in the opposition politics, some believe, are enormous and unwholesome. He was said to have hijacked the machinery of the defunct ANPP state working committee and expelled the retired Major-General Muhammadu Buhari and Senator Abu Ibrahim from the party. Also, Bello was once suspended from the defunct CPC because his actions were thought to be polarizing the party’s interim leadership of Faruk Adamu Aliyu.
So, his recent outburst, which challenged the authenticity of Masari’s certificates, is pitching supporters of the party against one another. Political observers believe that this action may affect the fortune of the party in the 2015 polls.
Bello claimed that a postgraduate certificate in Water Quality Control and Management allegedly presented to the party and INEC by Masari was not authentic.
At a recent press conference he held in Kaduna, Senator Bello presented a copy of the alleged forged certificate to journalists from Middlesex Polytechnic.
He also claimed that he had confirmed from the registrar of that school that the Middlesex Polytechnic did not offer post graduate diploma in Water Quality Control and Management.
He stressed that it was dubious for somebody to obtain a postgraduate diploma certificate in 81 days.
But in his swift reactions, Masari dismissed the allegation, pointing out that the country’s constitution was clear on what was required to contest an elective office.
The APC governorship candidate, who pointed out that what was required to be presented for elective position, was a school leaving certificate, explained that he had his primary and secondary education.
When asked about the issue, Masari told our reporter that the provisions of Section 318 of the constitution were clear.
“Section 318 of the constitution provides that for anybody to aspire to elective offices, he must acquire education up to secondary school certificate level, or primary six school leaving certificate or its equivalent; and service in the public or private sector in the federation in any capacity acceptable to the Independent National Electoral Commission for a minimum of ten years; and attendance at courses and training in such institutions as may be acceptable to INEC; and the ability to read, understand and communicate in English to the satisfaction of INEC; and any other qualification acceptable by INEC,” he added.
Masari had, during the screening exercise conducted ahead of the party’s gubernatorial primary election, accused some aspirants of trying to block him from being screened.
The party’s leaders, at national levels, are said to be keenly watching the situation. Several meetings are being held in order to address the issue.
Already, the state’s chapter of the APC was said to have threatened to sanction Bello on the grounds that his actions were hurting the image of the party and jeopardizing its chances at the polls. The party, which was said to have stated that his actions were becoming shameful to the party and its supporters, might be forced to apply stringent penalties against him, including either suspension or expulsion.
But when contacted over the threat, Bello dared the party leaders, saying that he could not be ‘intimidated’.
“As far as I know, I am not aware of it. Nobody approaches me with complaints that I erred. So, if they want to expel me, why not?. They have a right. But what I can say is that I can’t act on speculation,” he said.
He, however, promised not to talk about the case again, saying “I have said my own and kept my side. No comment anymore to anybody”.
Some people in Katsina State, however, believe that Bello’s actions are sponsored by the ruling PDP with a view to disorganizing the chances of the party in the 2015 polls. This accusation is being peddled by Masari’s supporters, especially those who are either close to him or sympathetic to the party.
Already, some people are also seeing him as a mole planted by some persons for selfish interests, considering his past record of defection from the opposition to the ruling PDP.
They suspect that his decision after losing the primary election, to open an old story, which was addressed when Masari was speaker, is meant to destroy the chances of the party ahead of the general elections.
Though the matter is still causing friction among the party members and its teeming supporters, the way and manner the APC leaders handle the case will, however, either make or mar the party’s chances in the state during the general elections.

SOURCE: SUNDAY TRUST

Blah blah blah
is certificates now the new way of blocking people who are ready to serve n change Nigeria?

LETS TRY APC AND SEE. IF THEY FAIL US, THEN WE WILL KNOW NIGERIA WASNT MEANT TO BE

My Certificate Forgery Story – Masari

Abuja, By Reuben Buhari
— Jan 10, 2015 | 0 Comments

Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Bello Masari has reacted to those accusing him of submitting forged academic credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the general elections slated for February, describing those behind it as bad electoral losers that are concocting lies because of his emergence as the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s gubernatorial candidate for Katsina State.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP Weekend, Masari said the certificate in question was obtained by him in 1982 and that it was just not possible for him to have forged a certificate and wait for 32 years to be able to use it to contest an election for an ambition he didn’t even nurse at the time he got the certificate.

It would be recalled that human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo had on behalf of his clients, Hon. Ibrahim Yadullah, Alh. Kabir Mamman, Alh. Aminu Hashirmu, Falalu Sale and Alh. Ya’u Sule, all members of the APC in Katsina state, written to the APC National Chairman asking the party to disqualify Masari over alleged certificate forgery.

According to Keyamo in the letter, “on behalf of our clients, we write this petition concerning your supposed gubernatorial candidate for Katsina state, Rt. Hon Aminu Bello Masari. We wish to kindly draw your attention to certain facts which are likely to disqualify him from contesting for the said position or if he does contest at all and is victorious, may be a ground to remove him as governor if the pre-election matter concerning the issue is not determined on time.

“In 2011, the subject of this petition, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari contested for the office of Governor of Katsina state under the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). In filling Form CF-001 (Personal Particulars of Candidate), he alleged that he has a Post-Graduate Diploma. As evidence of this, he attached a Certificate in ‘Postgraduate Diploma in Water Quality Control and Management’ from Middlesex Polytechnic, United Kingdom. A simple inquiry that was made in the said polytechnic elicited a response that no such course was offered by the school in the said year. We encourage you to do your own inquiry from the said institution and draw your own conclusion.”

To buttress his point, the lawyer cited section 182(1)(J) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states as follows, “182 (1) No person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if (j) He has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”

“We need not emphasise the need for your party that prides itself on the mantra of “change” to depart from the tradition of other parties that have fielded questionable characters in the past. We are, therefore, calling on you to urgently substitute the said Aminu Bello Masari or conduct fresh primaries to fill the position. The danger of sticking with Aminu Bello Masari as your candidate for Katsina state despite the above facts is all too obvious because we are prepared to proceed to court if you fail to act decisively. We need not say more,” he added.

A governorship aspirant in the state also on the platform of the APC, Senator Kanti Bello, dragged Masari to a Federal High Court on similar allegation. He alleged that the postgraduate certificate in water quality control and management presented to INEC by Masari was forged and should be verified.

But Masari in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend wondered why the issue of the certificates which had never come up in previous elections that contested and won since 1999, including when he became the speaker of the House from 2003-2007 had now become a matter of controversy.

Making further explanations on the contentious certificate, Masari said that he rose through the ranks and within 21 years became an assistant general manager in charge of operations in the Katsina water board and attended various course within the period, and that he was awarded the certificate in question after attending one of such courses.

“Within that period, I attended various courses both within and outside the country and the certificate they are alleging is fake was in 1982. I obtained a postgraduate diploma and the admission was given to me on the basis of the experience I had at that time.

“I was then a senior officer on Grade Level 10 and I was given the opportunity to go to Middlesex Polytechnic in London and study water quality control and management. So, for God’s sake, how come in 1982 that I had no idea that I would contest the governorship election after 32 years, I forged a certificate waiting for that day or even forged a certificate to contest the election in 1999, 17 years after?”

He added that the qualification which he obtained was an in-service arrangement.

“The records are there for all to see. It is not as if I went to a school where I applied without the support of the water board, it was an in-service training and the naivety or mischief of some people is to pretend not to know that you can attend a course of one month or even seven days and be awarded a diploma. If that person takes that diploma to an employer to look for a job, it is up to the employer to recognise it or not, but that does not make it fake,” he argued.

Masari emphasised that though he has many certifications and honorary doctorate awards and holds fellowships of various bodies, he was not one to use such to boost his credentials.

“There was no way they could fault the process that saw to my emergence as a candidate. Secondly, they could not fault my service record. I was in the service and I was invited to come and be a commissioner so I withdrew my services from the north central state of Kaduna to Katsina State and rose to the rank of assistant general manager (operations). That is enough qualification for me to be anybody in Nigeria. So, I don’t need to give anybody any fake qualification. You see, when you lie, there must be an advantage. Either you want to gain some monetary or positional benefit or to be called something. I was given three honourary doctorates and a national honour of CFR but you will never see me writing any of those as suffix or prefix to my name. I have a fellowship of so many institutes but it doesn’t matter to me. These people know all these but they think they can tarnish my name and that of the APC just like they did back then in the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC),” he emphasised.

On his confidence in the ability of INEC to conduct credible and hitch-free elections next month, he said the refusal of the electoral empire to hold all elections in one day was suspicious.

Also speaking on the controversy surrounding the distribution of the permanent voters cards, the former speaker said that INEC has to allow those without the PVCs to vote if it’s unable to make it available to all, even as he expressed fears about the availability of card readers at all polling units across the country during the elections and their ability to cover all accredited voters within the specified voting period.

APC is a nest of killers and liars!


#buhariCanNotChange

are they going to rule the country with forgery? Does forgEry run within them? Is this the change u think u want?. I don't want this type of change in my opinion

Mumu people congress

tit:
APC is a nest of killers and liars!


#buhariCanNotChange

Geee u made me remember this song. # As old as you, You will never change# lol

Katsina?? OP, you're on your own!!

Even if na Agege Bread Label Masari present.. E go enter!!

Dem no dey take Buhari play for there abeg! Even 2007, 2011Posters of Buhari still dey intact for Funtua.

tit:
APC is a nest of killers and liars!


#buhariCanNotChange

wai ke wannan ba kiya barchi ne?

Brahms:
Katsina?? OP, you're on your own!!

Even if na Agege Bread Label Masari present.. E go enter!!

Dem no dey take Buhari play for there abeg! Even 2007, 2011Posters of Buhari still dey intact for Funtua.

he will lose in Dutsi-Ma.
He will not even get one vote from there.
I am ready for him.

trotsky2:
wai ke wannan ba kiya barchi ne?

get a life.
go read yar book.
you don drink tea today?

Brahms:
Katsina?? OP, you're on your own!!

Even if na Agege Bread Label Masari present.. E go enter!!

Dem no dey take Buhari play for there abeg! Even 2007, 2011Posters of Buhari still dey intact for Funtua.

Still Buhari former parties APP, ANPP and CPC never won any governorship election in the state.

See change oo!

tit:


get a life.
go read yar book.
you don drink tea today?

kai kai kai kai..... tit tit....... ki yi hankali da ni fa zan chi kutumar ke

na their way;
presidential candidate with fake certificate.
party leader(tinubu) with fake certificate.
rauf aregbesola with just a diploma but claims to be an engineer.

party initiated by the touts and designed to suit the tout