NYSC Certificate Forgery: PDP keeps mum as Razak Atunwa plots to present WAEC as highest qualification

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refused to explain its position to Nigerians a week after its governorship candidate in Kwara State, Rasak Atunwa, was exposed for forging the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.

The party’s national headquarters and its chapter in Kwara both continue to sidestep the scandal despite repeated attempts by PREMIUM TIMES to understand their position on whether Mr Atunwa would be passed to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the party’s governorship candidate.

But PREMIUM TIMES has now learnt that Mr Atunwa has not been told to withdraw from the race or be dropped by the party, which has prompted him to intensify effort aimed at retaining his party ticket ahead of INEC submission deadline.

The electoral body has scheduled November 2 as the deadline for all parties to submit names of governorship and presidential candidates. The deadline for submission of state assemblies and National Assembly candidates lapsed on October 18.

As part of his plots to escape being dropped as candidate, Mr Atunwa has already moved to present secondary school certificate as his highest qualification.

Although the embattled politician has, for years, claimed to have obtained both bachelor’s and master’s degrees from two universities in the United Kingdom, he believes submitting only a high school certificate would extricate him from the NYSC Act that requires a university graduate to participate in a yearlong national service.

Since 1973, every Nigerian who attends a university or polytechnic have been mandated by the NYSC law to participate in the national youth scheme for one year after graduation, provided the person finished before age 30.

Failure to serve would prohibit such individual from employment in Nigeria, and making false claims about serving attracts up to 14 years in jail. Also, anyone who graduates before 30 but deliberately declines to serve has committed a crime that attracts 12-month imprisonment, even if the person did not forge NYSC documents.

Only a person who obtained a degree after 30 or served in the military or won national honours medal qualifies for exemption certificate under the NYSC law.

But even if Mr Atunwa presents his high school certificate, he would still run into legal troubles for committing perjury. He had sworn under oath at Kwara State High Court in Ilorin that he had university degrees and participated in NYSC between 1995 and 1996.



The two universities he attended in England and his qualifications were also still available on his page at the National Assembly website as of 10:40 a.m. on October 29.

The lawmaker submitted forged NYSC documents to the PDP despite two raging scandals involving two Nigerian ministers.

Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria’s finance minister, was forced to resign from office over the scandal, and communications minister, Bayo Shittu, was denied governorship nomination by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State for failing to serve his fatherland upon graduation.

AUDACIOUS FORGERY

Mr Atunwa, born on October 17, 1969, said he studied law at the University of East London, graduating in 1992 at age 23.

Having earned a bachelor’s degree at 23, Mr Atunwa, going by Section 2 of the NYSC Act, should have participated in the year-long national service.

But rather than present himself for national service, Mr. Atunwa stayed back in the United Kingdom, returning only in 2005 to join the cabinet of then Governor Bukola Saraki in Kwara State at the age of 36.

Between 2005 and 2010 when he stepped down to run for office, the politician was commissioner at four different ministries: Land and Housing, Works and Transport, Information and Home Affairs and Finance.

It was not immediately clear whether or not Mr Atunwa presented any NYSC document to authorities since 2005 when he was first appointed commissioner, 2011 when he became speaker of Kwara State House of Assembly and 2015 when he became member of the House of Representatives.

But to secure the PDP governorship ticket on October 1, he submitted a counterfeit NYSC discharge certificate and accompanied it with an affidavit, indicating he lied on oath, an offence that attracts up to 14 years in jail.

Mr Atunwa — who claimed he qualified for law practice in the United Kingdom after obtaining undergraduate and master’s degrees at separate universities in London — indicated in the nomination document he submitted at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja that he partook in the youth service scheme between 1995 and 1996.



The lawmaker, who is chair of the House Committee on Justice, then accompanied it with a notarised affidavit sworn at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on September 10. The document was attached to his PDP expression of interest form.

He signed the document despite a clause indicating he remained automatically disqualified as candidate if any statement or information he provided is found to be false, inaccurate, or mislead the party or its agents from making proper assessment of his competence to contest the governorship election under the platform of the PDP.

For one, Mr Atunwa’s ‘certificate’ purportedly obtained in 1996 carried the signature of Walter Oki (brigadier general at the time).

But Mr Oki was only made NYSC director-general in 2002. In 1996, Soyemi Sofoluwe (brigadier general) was director-general of the corps and signed all discharge and exemption certificates during the period. He was succeeded by S.M. Dule (brigadier general), who served as director-general between 1996 and 2000.

To further crosscheck the authenticity of Mr Atunwa’s ‘certificate’, PREMIUM TIMES compared his with original ones that bore the basics of the document, especially those from foreign university graduates.

Aisha Abubakar, the minister of state trade and industry, returned to Nigeria after concluding her masters in development studies at the University of Leeds. Her certificate is marked NYSC/LA/FRN/91/18170, indicating that she served in Lagos, after graduating from a foreign university.

Khadija Bukar Ibrahim, the minister of state foreign affairs, also schooled abroad. She attended Roehampton Institute for Higher Education, affiliated with the University of Surrey and finished in 1989. She enlisted in the NYSC on October 2, 1990 and passed out on October 1, 1991. Her certificate is marked NYSC/LA/FRN/90/28750, indicating that she served in Lagos (LA) after graduating from a foreign university (FRN) in 1990.

However, Mr. Atunwa’s certificate, rather than bear FRN or FORN (code for foreign graduates) has KWP (a code reserved for graduates of Kwara State Polytechnic) as identification mark. But the politician did not graduate from Kwara Polytechnic. He claimed he attended the University of East London for the first degree and the University of London for his master’s.

“This is the most audacious forgery since PREMIUM TIMES began investigation into NYSC claims of senior government officials and politicians generally,” Liborous Oshoma, a Lagos-based legal practitioner, told PREMIUM TIMES last week.

‘BRAZEN HYPOCRISY’

Despite being amongst the top voices that called for the resignation and prosecution of Ms Adeosun, whose NYSC forgery was exposed by PREMIUM TIMES in July, the PDP appears to be plotting to sweep a similar scandal involving its members under the carpet.

Ken Asogwa, an Abuja-based lawyer and political commentator, said PDP’s failure to act on Mr Atunwa’s scandal further proves to Nigerians that the APC and PDP are not distinctly different as political parties.

“This is basically what we have been complaining about, it is not about the party in power but the people involved,” Mr Eluma Asogwa said. “There is no difference between the APC and PDP when it comes to immorality and corruption.”



Many Nigerians cited corruption as a primary reason for voting the PDP out of power in 2015, after 16 years of being in control of Nigeria’s political centre. The party apologised for its transgressions earlier this year, saying it would do business differently if given another chance in 2019, especially on corruption.

The party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has widely been seen as gaining steady momentum over incumbent Muhammadu Buhari ahead of general elections next February, but how it handles Mr Atunwa’s forgery would loom large on its chances at the poll, Mr Eluma Asogwa said.

“The PDP has not learnt from anything from its unflattering past despite its apologies that it would not condone corruption if given another chance,” the lawyer said.

“What does it take for a party that claims it would do things differently if voted into power to withdraw someone who forged certificate and apologise to Nigerians for its failure to detect the fraud before PREMIUM TIMES?”

Source https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/293075-nysc-certificate-forgery-pdp-keeps-mum-as-razak-atunwa-plots-to-present-waec-as-highest-qualification.html

Wailers converged on all threads opened about Kemi Adeosun before she eventually resigned. They are all avoiding this thread because a PDP member is involved. Atunwa is not just PDP's governorship candidate for Kwara state, he's currently a member of the federal house of representatives. If the allegations of forgery and skipping NYSC levelled against him are true, he should resign as a lawmaker and drop out of the governorship race immediately.


Lalasticlala, over to you.

seunmsg:
Wailers converged on all threads opened about Kemi Adeosun before she eventually resigned. They are all avoiding this thread because a PDP member is involved. Atunwa is not just PDP's governorship candidate for Kwara state, he's currently a member of the federal house of representatives. If the allegations of forgery and skipping NYSC levelled against him are true, he should resign as a lawmaker and drop out of the governorship race immediately.


Lalasticlala, over to you.

....SARAKI DYNASTY IS CRASHING
GOD IS GOOD

How did we get to this level where people with forged certificates are at the helms of power while qualified candidates with all the required credentials are roaming in the street?

Majority of Nigerian politicians are guilty of this act and when caught red-handed, will still be forming "voltron" and peddle more lies to cover up their exposed butt. Aside lacking shame, no atom of conscience and dignity can't be seen in them again.

buhari doesn't even have one.





a shame still

seunmsg:
Wailers converged on all threads opened about Kemi Adeosun before she eventually resigned. They are all avoiding this thread because a PDP member is involved. Atunwa is not just PDP's governorship candidate for Kwara state, he's currently a member of the federal house of representatives. If the allegations of forgery and skipping NYSC levelled against him are true, he should resign as a lawmaker and drop out of the governorship race immediately.


Lalasticlala, over to you.

buhari doesnt have at all so stop crying or go to court

Apc never say anything on gandollar so leave pdp out of this

Olatunji1929:
buhari doesnt have at all so stop crying or go to court

pls stop supporting evil!! I'm an Atiku supporter. Pls lets call a spade a spade so that this country can move forward.

Olatunji1929:
buhari doesnt have at all so stop crying or go to court

Your hypocrisy stinks.

Nobody is asking for Buhari's NYSC certificate, but simple SSCE certificate.

No sense in this thing

seunmsg:

Your hypocrisy stinks.

show us ur post condemning ganduje the thief



you bloody hypocrit

PDP in kwara state?

Odi aye atunwa.

The kleptocratic hegemony must stop, kwara must change hands.

Premium Times should go to court!
Rasak Atunwa remains PDP Governorship candidate for Kwara state

Present anything, we are fine.
Afterall, our Oga at the top is overseeing the presidency with a photocopy of master list of Cambridge WASC. He is certificate-less.

This allegation of NYSC certificate forgery by the governorship candidate should be thoroughly probe by the PDP.The reformation should be thorough.

Enough of this certificate racketeering in our
Meanwhile when is Buhari, Kemi Adeosun, Obono-Obla, Adebayo Shittu cases be resolve?

WAEC attempt is what is required to run for any office

Leave Razak matter, where's Buhari's WAEC certificate?

What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. But if Rasak can present an ORIGINAL copy of his WAEC result, then he is regrettably (because I expect B.Sc to be the minimum requirement) qualified.

You let the cat out of the bag too fast!

Premium Times should not relent and should really follow the matter, just as they did in Kemi Adeosun's case.

IamAtikulate:
Nobody is asking for Buhari's NYSC certificate, but simple SSCE certificate.

The day you acquire wisdom and knowledge, your lineage will start enjoying good things but will your blind mind allow you get these?
Keep hatred growing in your life against pmb while you are wasting there.

Abi dad

Power for Kwara People.....



See signature!

Got to love Premium Times exposing people. They're getting everyone in their feeling. It shows how lax
the system is. Any politician thst has an issue should sue for libel.

The Black Man's Penchant for Stupidity is the bane of his under-development!

Wonders shall never end. Cool FM Port Harcourt City is organising a Halloween Party. This is the Radio Station that will not cover the New Yam ceremonies of our people because it is fetish (but Halloween is not fetish). This is a radio station that will have nothing to do with our masquerade festivals because it is repulsive to their taste.

But here it is making plans to celebrate the absurdity of the White Man called Halloween!

It is sad that the African Press is killing our cultural heritage and making no effort to promote Africa. In fact, the African Press Corp has wittingly become the instrument of Neo-Colonialism of the continent. For instance while our Local football league suffers the Nigerian Press spends millions promoting foreign leagues.

Today, 85% of Nigerian youths are ready to die for foreign clubs that adds no food on their tables, that gives them no jobs. That is how stupid we are.

While Nigerian football leagues suffers for want of sponsorship Sterling Bank Nigeria PLC spend millions of pounds yearly sponsoring Arsenal FC of England. Equally, Dangote is making plans of buying Arsenal Club someday.

It is through the Press that the West is selling her same sex marriage agenda and all their abominations to us. It is this black man's foolishness of not valuing his own that led to the success of the Slave Trade which took Africa's best sons and daughters across the Atlantic to work the earth for the White race. It is this foolishness that saw our wealth being siphoned into foreign banks by our corrupt rulers and then these rulers will turn around to borrow these same money from the foreigners payable with interest.

If you celebrate that Halloween with Cool FM then you must tender your head for psychiatric evaluation.

Saraki right now...

The word hypocrite shld change to PDP. Its the worst political party on earth.

Same way they alleged Aisha Buhari that she couldn’t travel to US and the woman went successfully.

Their thieving Atiku is expected to travel to US to shame his accusers but no way.

seunmsg:
Wailers converged on all threads opened about Kemi Adeosun before she eventually resigned. They are all avoiding this thread because a PDP member is involved. Atunwa is not just PDP's governorship candidate for Kwara state, he's currently a member of the federal house of representatives. If the allegations of forgery and skipping NYSC levelled against him are true, he should resign as a lawmaker and drop out of the governorship race immediately.


Lalasticlala, over to you.

when will buhari n adebayo shittu resign?

check this out