By Chuks Ohuegbe, Emmanuel Ibeleme and Aaron Ossai
The National Assembly is once again in the news for bad reason as at least some two members of the House of Representatives for now have been fingered as having fake certificates which they used to obtain their positions.
Very reliable sources that spoke to the Nigerian Pilot reported that the members have been having sleepless nights since the hint filtered into the ears that what they have had concealed for years has been uncovered.
One of the two members is Nicholoa Ebomo Mutu from Bomadi/Patani constituency of Delta State.
In the case of Hon. Nicholas Mutu, there is confusion in his educational background as he claimed that he attended St. Clements University in West Indies where he claimed to have obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Organisation in the year 2003. Investigations however revealed that the claim is not true.
Also in a form he filled in the National Assembly which is attached with this publication, in the space for Educational qualification, he filled, Rivers State Basic Studies, 1986, under the column for Schools attended, he filled Rivers State of Basic Studies, 1986 while in the next column, in another space, under educational qualification, he filed St. Clements University and in the second column for schools attended, he also filled St. Clements University.
Here, one wonders if the lawmaker or those who accepted the forms did not know the difference between schools attended and educational qualification. These are just by the way as more startling revelations will be made in our next edition.
Unfortunately, when contacted, instead of the lawmaker showing any proof against the allegations, he resorted to name calling saying that the inquiry amounts to blackmail; and an attempt to extort money from him.
He also hinted that his Lawyers have been briefed on the development and are ready to take legal action “because, this is pure blackmail with a sole motive for extortion.”
According to him, specifically, in a letter dated May 19th, 2023, signed and forwarded to the Nigerian Pilot by Mutu’s Lawyer, M. J. Numa, SAN, presented all the facts concerning the allegations.
He said the lawyer cautioned Nigerian Pilot to exercise caution as all the allegations being peddled have been adjudicated upon and resolved by courts of competent jurisdiction, including the election petitions tribunal and Federal High Court.
He insisted that all the issuing authorities of Mutu’s certificates and other relevant authorities and stakeholders, including the National Assembly, have authenticated and confirmed them to be genuine, adding that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has also thoroughly investigated and vindicated his client.
“We thank you and we hope you will conduct your investigation professionally as you are expected to do and in that regard, come to the unassailable conclusion that the information being paraded as you have narrated in your letter is false, malicious and simply aimed at bringing the image of Hon. Nicholas Mutu to an unnecessary dispute.”
The issue of certificate is not what one should be going to courts and the police. All the lawmaker should have done is to bring those certificates in dispute and display them for the world to see.
On the other hand, when NIGERIAN PILOT contacted Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi for his reaction to the alleged educational certificates forgery, the lawmaker said that he could not really remember the certificates he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in form EC9.
His words: “I need some time to remember the exact documents I submitted to the INEC. If you give me two days, I will get back to you on this issue.”
Several phone calls and text messages which were subsequently sent to the lawmaker’s mobile telephone number were not responded to; neither did he pick his calls.
The lawmaker had also said that he had a land dispute with one Prince Collins Eselomo, whom he claimed originated the petition against him that is presently before the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
NIGERIAN PILOT investigation also revealed that the National Examination Commission (NECO) school certificate the lawmaker submitted to INEC bears a different name from the first degree certificate he obtained from Delta State University, Abraka.
The lawmaker has since locked up his office at the National Assembly.
Curiously however, while pleading with the Publisher of Nigerian Pilot to show him understanding, the lawmaker has equally been trying all sorts of pranks at blackmailing him.
Some copies of documentary evidence to show the lawmaker’s deeds are published in this first of the four parts series.
However in a petition on forgery, impersonation, economic sabotage, falsification of official document likely to cause breach of peace and perjury dated April, 27, 2023 against Chief Thomas Ereyitomi by Prince Collins Eselemo of Plot 3/5 Collins Eselemo Crescent behind Bendel Estate, Warri. Delta state Eselemo he alleged that Chief Thomas Ereyitomi is at verge of serving his four year tenure in the House of Representatives representing the Warri Federal Constituency by using fake and/or forged certificate thereby sabotaging the economy of our beloved country with regards to financial benefits accrued to him in hundreds of millions in cash and kind of our country’s tax payers money.
That Chief Thomas Ereyitomi an Ishekiri by tribe and name is parading a certificate belong to one Etamuemu Thomas Ezekiel an Urhobo man by tribe and name as his own school certificate (NECO) obtained in 2002 without a Junior Secondary School Certificate, (JSS) bearing his name. The school certificate was issued in 2002 to said Etamuemu Thomas Ezekiel. The said Chief Thomas Ereyitomi submitted the school certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as a certificate by him as part of educational qualifications obtained by him. He submitted together with his degree certificate and letter of exemption from National Youth Service Corps along with his form EC9 of INEC to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The name Etamuemu Thomas Ezekiel is at sharp variance with the names in the other certificates that is Masters Degree certificate, forged WAEC certificate, NYSC exemption letter, etc thereby committing perjury.
I verily believed that from the endorsements on the schools certificates West African Examination Council, WAEC of 1984 and National Examination Council, NECO of 2002. These documents were either forged by Chief Thomas Ereyitomi for him to use his electoral purposes, or the forged document was procured for him (Chief Thomas Ereyitomi) with his knowledge for him to use for his own benefit.
I have drawn your attention to the forgery, perjury and impersonation by Chief Thomas Ereyitomi because he is parading forged documents to both INEC and House of Representatives as an educational qualification he has obtained. From all indications, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi did not attend “Ovu Grammar School” wrongly named as “Ovu College” and he is impersonating Etamuemu Thomas Ezekiel and or procured the forgery of the school certificate which he has been using at INEC and House of Reps.
I am therefore calling on you to use your good offices to investigate the forgery, falsification, economic sabotages, perjury, impersonation and conduct likely to breach of peace highlighted in this petition by getting Chief Thomas Ereyitomi and any other person linked with forgery, perjury and impersonation apprehended and economic sabotage so that they are all brought to justice, he concluded in his petition to the Inspector General of Police.
