Management of the University of Ibadan has confirmed that Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, graduated from the institution, amid controversy over authenticity of his first-degree certificate.
The university made this known in a press statement by its Registrar, Mrs Olubunmi O Faluyi, on Wednesday.
The statement reads;
Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, the Governor of Edo State graduated from the University of Ibadan where he studied Classics. Obaseki gained admission to the University in 1976 and graduated in 1979 with a Second Class Honours, Lower Division. Records of his Admission and Graduation are intact in the archives of the University.
This comes after the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole and Obaseki, on Tuesday, questioned the authenticity of the first-degree certificate of the governor.
Oshiomhole expressed this in Abuja at the inauguration of the APC’s screening and appeal committees for its members contesting governorship primaries in Edo State.
In his reaction, Governor Obaseki through his spokesman, Crusoe Osagie, challenged Oshiomhole, asking to go confirm the authenticity of his certificate at the university.
The dispute between Obaseki and his predecessor, which began since 2019, has defied efforts by APC governors and the African richest man, Aliko Dangote, to help reconcile their differences.
Doubting Obaseki’s UI certificate, the national chairman on Tuesday directed the screening committee to confirm it from the nation’s premier university.
Oshiomhole said;
Someone should approach the UI and end this matter once and for all. If the certificate Obaseki parades is that of the UI, find out how did he pass senate screening of those days? I’m aware that in those days when this man never dreamt of becoming a governor, every student, no matter your status or your family name, must pass the screening.
It is done every third term at the UNN (University of Nigeria Nsukka), then we ran terminal not semester programme. The final screening was in the third year, before you go in for your final year.
He added;
How comes the UI allowed him then. Did he do a remedial? which was not unlikely. These are questions. Many came in especially in education and linguistics, did remedial for one year and if the result was good, gained direct entry and graduated three years after.
The certificate has now been confirmed as authentic by the University.
