Ex-speaker Masari in certificate forgery saga

Human rights lawyer Festus Keyamo has petitioned the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging the party to strip Aminu Bello Masari, former speaker of the federal house of representatives, of the Katsina state gubernatorial ticket over an alleged case of certificate forgery.

In a letter dated December 17 and addressed to the national chairman of the party, Keyamo argued that Masari’s claim of obtaining a postgraduate diploma in water quality control and management from Middlesex Polytechnic in the United Kingdom was false, saying the school did not offer the course in the year Masari claimed to have obtained it.

Citing Section 182 (1) (J) of the Nigerian constitution, the attorney, who is representing Ibrahim Yadullah, Kabir Mamman, Aminu Hashirmu, Falalu Sale and Ya’u Sule, who are APC members in Katsina, threatened to go to court if Masari was not disqualified and the matter investigated.

“On behalf our clients, we write this petition concerning your supposed gubernatorial candidate for Katsina state, 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 timeously,” Keyamo said.

“Kindly note, that in the year 2011, the subject of this petition, 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. Kindly find attached the said response by email. We encourage you to do your own inquiry from the said Institution and draw your own conclusion.”

He further asked the APC to substitute Masari with another candidate or conduct a fresh gubernatorial primary election in Katsina state to live up to its mantra of change.

“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.

Masari, speaker of the house of reps between 2003 and 2007, beat Kanti Bello, a former senator, to the Katsina state APC governorship ticket, polling 2,470 votes to Bello’s 1,327.