I was not surprised to see supporters of Godwin Obaseki running around the cyber space with this news credited to the President of UI alumni Association . They even edited the heading of the original story in order to attempt to deride supporters of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu by calling them puppets. I know they are angry and embarrassed at what their master’s actions in Court is revealing about his integrity . They would rather wish he was squeaky clean as he passes off to be.
I ordinarily would have ignored the post under this heading as I have ignored several others, but I hate the spread of ignorance and I always do everything I can to quell it.
The contention in Court is not whether Godwin Obaseki is an alumni of UI or otherwise. The contention is that Godwin Obaseki forged his UI Bachelor certificate because the certificate he submitted in 2020 is different from the one he submitted in 2016. One was apparently forged as there cannot be two certificates for one degree for one person.
Secondly ,that Godwin Obaseki was not qualified to be admitted into any first degree course in UI with his three credits, excluding English and Maths where he scored F9 and he has not sufficiently shown that he had a special admission. If he fraudulently got the admission , the BA Classics he submitted to INEC is tainted.
Lastly, that Godwin Obaseki supplied contrasting and diametrically opposed information to INEC. In 2016, he deposed to an affidavit that he finished from Eghosa Anglican Grammar School in 1973 and “proceeded immediately” (his words) to UI to study classics where he graduated in 1976 ( his exact words). In that 2016, the PDP, Godwin Obaseki’s new Party , did a search at UI and discovered that Obaseki contested as Welfare secretary in his hall of residence in 1977 and still wrote exams in 1978. This aroused their curiosity and they went to Court. The case was struck out then because of the Constitutional amendment introducing time limit to pre-election matters ,whose assent was backdated.
The matter of eligibility to contest an election is a very important one. If our society must move forward, the mill of justice must be allowed to grind. It is only this way we can be sanctified and attain great things.
Not a few Godwin Obaseki supporters have called to express their dismay at the revelations that are coming out from Court-the way Obaseki,through his lawyer, is running helter skelter, working to stop the mill of justice by resorting to frivolous appeals and applying for stay of proceedings in a matter that is time bound, and pushing for the Court to go on vacation. A university law student know that no stay of proceeding can be granted in pre-election cases and election petition tribunal,but it is hard to blame the drowning man who holds on to anything to stay afloat.The law is that election cases must run without hindrance.
Instead of this nauseating rigmarole, Obaseki ought to hands up,throw in the towel and apologise to Edo people and Nigerians as Kemi Adeosun did, he won’t die.
Daniel Aroren Noah Osa-Ogbegie writes from Ugieghudu Village in Uhunmwode Local Government Area where he’s currently on vacation.
