Date Published: 07/15/11

APGA Imo Lawmaker in certificate scandal

A member of the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka is currently embroiled in a certificate forgery scandal.

Hon Amuka representing the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha’s Ideato South Constituency has been discovered to have used his elder brother’s  West African Senior School Certificate (WASSC) result to secure clearance to contest the April 26, 2011 State House of Assembly poll.

Hon Amuka, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) listed the November/December 2004 WASSC as his qualification in his form to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But investigation revealed that the November/December 2004 WASSC No. NGWASSCP 3970451 which though bears Ikechukwu Amuka K. belongs to his elder brother, Mr. Eustace Amuka whose photograph was embossed on it.

The curious thing is that Hon. Ikechukwu Amuka only listed the certificate in his form to the INEC without including a photocopy of the certificate.

A legal staff of the INEC Owerri who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was not mandatory for candidates of political parties to include photocopies of their certificates alongside their forms to the electoral commission.

The staff also said that the electoral body was not mandated by law to verify certificates submitted to it by elective office-seekers. The staff further said it was the duty of political parties to verify certificates submitted by their candidates.

When contacted on Wednesday, the authorities of the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC) Owerri Zonal Office re-affirmed that the certificate in question belongs to Mr. Eustace Amuka whose photograph appears on it.

A staff of the WAEC, Mrs. R Ajoku had on July 6 certified that the certificate belongs to Mr. Eustace Amuka whose photograph is embossed on it.

But when contacted on telephone last Friday, Hon Amuka threatened to sue Nigeria Newspoint if  the newspaper publishes the story on the certificate. He refuesd to be drawn into responding to any question concerning the certificate.

An insider in Imo State chapter of APGA (names withheld) admitted that the party was not able to verify certificates submitted by its candidates before the polls. According to him, there were some constituencies where the party had to beg people to run on its platform.

The insider revealed that most people who won elections on APGA platform did so because of the sentiment that the party belongs to the Igbo race and the personality of the state governor rather than on their own personal merit.