There was protest in Ogun State on Saturday as an aspirant battling certificate forgery scandal in Obafemi Owode Local Government, Adesina Ogunsola, became the chairmanship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the July 24 local government election.
Saga Gist reports that Ogunsola had been accused of submitting to the his party, a statement of result said to have been issued by the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.
He was said to have stated in his APC Expression of Interest form (APC/OGS/2021/No 0000058) as well as in his curriculum vitae that he enrolled in the university in 1997 and finished as a graduate of Philosophy in the year 2002.
However, a letter which was said to have come from OOU denied Ogunsola’s studentship claim, saying “the purported statement of result of Ogunsola, Adesina Lanre did not emanate from the university.”
The letter, which was addressed to the Secretary of the APC Screening Committee in Obafemi/Owode Local Government, was reportedly signed by the Deputy (Academic Affairs) Mrs Y. O. Ogunsanwo on May 24.
Our correspondent contacted Ogunsola on June 9 for his reactions to the allegations levelled against him by a group known as APC Integrity Youths, but he refused to talk on the allegations, saying the party had directed that status quo be maintained.
Asked repeatedly whether he graduated from OOU in 2002 as seen in the said form and CV, the former Secretary to the Local Government, said he would talk after the party must have given the go-ahead.
“For me, I have my arsenals and I am keeping them very tight. When the time comes and I am free by the authority of the party to talk to the public, I will invite you,” he told our correspondent.
Few days after, Ogunsola was announced as the Chairmanship candidate of the APC for Obafemi/Owode, a development that did not go down well with some party aspirants and members in the local government.
On Saturday, some of aggrieved APC members protested against the choice of Ogunsola over allegation of a forged certificate.
Bearing placards with various inscriptions, the APC members stormed the Ogun NUJ Secretariat, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, lamenting that “a suspected fraudster had been chosen by the party for Obafemi/Owode Local Government.”
Addressing newsmen, one of the aggrieved aspirants, Odunkunle Babajide faulted the candidature of Adeshina Ogunshola who he said submitted a forged certificate.
Babajide, who was flanked by other aspirants from the local government, said Ogunshola claimed to have bagged a Bachelor of Art degree in Philosophy from the OOU, saying, however, that their findings have shown that the candidate did not graduate from the varsity.
He stated, “He presented a notification of result to that effect. The university had on more than one occasion said that the said notification of result did not emanate from them.”
In their message to Governor Dapo Abiodun, they said, “Your Excellency, you would recall that among other things, you listed honesty, integrity and reliability as the qualities you are looking forward to in whosoever would be selected as candidates in this election. We make bold to say that this is not the case as far as Obafemi-Owode is concerned. It is a shame.”
In his reaction, Ogunsola described the allegation as baseless, unfounded.
The candidate said the party leadership had absolved him of the allegation of forgery and perjury.
“The allegation of forgery and perjury levelled against me by the aspirants has been sufficiently addressed by the Party leadership which refuted same and absolved me of any misdemeanor.
However, Ogunsola did not explain how the allegations were addressed, neither did he speak on whether or not he graduated from OOU.
DAILY POST also observes that he did not debunk submitting a forged statement of result, neither did he deny claiming that he graduated from OOU in his party form and CV.
But, he said the attempt by the aggrieved aspirants are “being sponsored by selfish and disgruntled elements to malign my character and drag the image of our esteemed party in the mud.”
He urged them to eschew evil machinations and abide by the decision of the party.
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