The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has confirmed that Senator Ademola Adeleke, gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was accused of not having its certificate actually wrote his Senior Secondary Certificate Exams (SSCE) in 1981.
The council confirmed Adeleke’s participation in an affidavit deposed at an FCT high court in Bwari, Abuja sworn to by Henry Sunday Adewunmi Osindeinde, deputy registrar, head of school examination department, WAEC.
He confirmed that Adeleke sat for the May/April SSCE 1981 at Ede Muslim High School in Osun state.
TheNiche recalls that the dancing senator Adeleke was accused of not having the certificate and that he did not graduate from Jacksonville State University (JSU) in the United States.
In view of that, policemen from Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos on August 2, started an investigation and stormed Ede Muslim High School I, where the principal of the school, Mr. Khalid Abbas, was arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Osogbo.
In a bid to maintain the democratic principle and rule of law, Court therefore gave WAEC five days to produce Adeleke’s results.
The court, in a ruling that was delivered by Justice Othman Musa, directed that WAEC should depose an affidavit, to either deny or confirm that Adeleke who is currently representing Osun West Senatorial District, sat for the Exams the Council conducted at Ede Muslim High School in Ede, Osun State, in 1981.
WAEC has however, confirmed that Adeleke sat for its examination.
Meanwhile, the police on Wednesday asked the senator and four others to report to their Special Investigation Panel at the Abuja headquarters for arraignment in court.
He and the other suspects will face a charge of examination malpractice, criminal conspiracy, impersonation.
The police named the other suspects as MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community High School, Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime).
Here is the police statement:
On 21st July 2017, the Osun State Police Intelligence Bureau (SIB) received and acted on an actionable intelligence about an ongoing examination malpractice involving Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke at OJO/Aro Community High School in Osun state.
“When the Police operative arrived at the school, only Sikiru Adeleke was found seated for the examination while Senator Ademola Adeleke seat was vacant and was suspected to have escaped before the arrival of the Police operatives.
“Further investigation revealed that both Senator Ademola Adeleke and his brother Sikiru Adeleke registered and were sitting for the National Examination Council Examination (NECO) 2017 as internal candidates impersonating students of the School at the ages of 57years and 42years respectively. This crime was facilitated by the principal of the school, and two other members of staff of the school for which they are under investigation and being charged to court.
“The Principal of the school, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau, the staff responsible for registration, Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo and a teacher Mr Dare Olutope were arrested on 21 July 2017.
“Senator Ademola Adeleke was arrested on 27 July 2017 and Sikiru Adeleke was arrested on 8 August 2017.
“Senator Ademola Adeleke made cautionary statement and admitted that he registered for the 2017 NECO examinations as an internal student in the said school but he didn’t sit for the examination.
“However, Police investigation revealed the following primafacial and culpability facts against Senator Ademola Adeleke andfour (4) others.
“Senator Ademola Adeleke made cautionary statement and admitted that he registered for the 2017 NECO examinations as an internal student in the said school and did not sit for the examination but have a result from NECO with Seven (7) Credit and One (1) Pass, a copy of which was obtained from NECO by the Police.
“The Ojo/Aro 2017 NECO, SSCE school photo album (School’s copy), with Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke Photographs in school uniform in the said album. Senator Ademola Adeleke in the NECO 2017 Result obtained by the claimed that he was born on 12th June 1997 but in his statement to the Police, senator Ademola Adeleke wrote 13th May 1960 as his Date of Birth.
“The photographs of both Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke appearing side by side in the photo album have no NECO stamps on them.
“Senator Ademola Adeleke and four others were arrested, investigated, granted bail and being charged to court. Charges of Examination Malpractice, Criminal Conspiracy, Personation, Breach of Duty, Aiding and Abetting against Senator Ademola Adeleke (PDP Governorship Aspirant in the 22nd September, 2018 Gubernatorial Election in Osun State) and four (4) others namely; MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community High School, Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime) have been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja under the Examination Malpractice Act, CAP E15, 2004 today, Wednesday, 19th September, 2018.
“Consequently, Senator Ademola Adeleke (PDP Governorship Aspirant in the 22nd September, 2018 Gubernatorial Election in Osun State) and four (4) others namely; MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community High School, Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime) are hereby advised in their own interest to report to the Special Investigation Panel, Force Headquarters, Abuja immediately for arraignment in court.”