Allegations of certificate forgery have been a recurring issue in Nigeria’s political scene since 1999. The trend continued in the recent 2023 general elections, with some members of the National Assembly being sacked by tribunals over certificate forgery.One of the most notable cases was that of Idris Dankawu of the NNPP, who was sacked from the House of Representatives for forging his West African School Certificate, WAEC. Dankawu’s opponent, Munir Babba Danagudi of the APC, had filed a petition alleging that Dankawu presented a fraudulent secondary school certificate to gain admission into Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Kaduna.The tribunal ruled in favor of Danagudi, finding that Dankawu had indeed forged his WAEC certificate. The tribunal also instructed INEC to set aside the Certificate of Return previously awarded to Dankawu and instead, declared Danagudi as the winner of the Kumbotso Federal Constituency poll.Another notable case was that of Muktar Umar Yerima, also of the NNPP. Yerima’s election was declared invalid due to the alleged forgery of his primary school certificate. The petitioner in the case, Hafizu Kawu of the APC, had challenged Yerima’s eligibility and presented evidence proving the forgery allegations.The tribunal found in favor of Kawu, ruling that Yerima had indeed forged his primary school certificate. The tribunal also held that the NNPP had no candidate in the election and that all the votes that were cast for Yerima were wasted votes.The tribunal directed INEC to retract the certificate of return that had previously been issued to Yerima, effectively stripping him of his elected position.In addition to Dankawu and Yerima, several other members of the National Assembly were sacked by tribunals over certificate forgery. These include:
- Aminu Ahmadu Chindo (PDP, Katsina State)Ismail Dalha (PDP, Katsina State)
The cases of Dankawu, Yerima, and the other affected lawmakers are a reminder of the need for vigilance and transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process. It is also important to note that these cases are still ongoing, and the affected lawmakers have the right to appeal the tribunal rulings.
The spokespersons for the NNPP and CRRAN have both condemned the cases of certificate forgery, and called for the appropriate authorities to take action against those found guilty. It remains to be seen whether the perpetrators of these crimes will be held accountable, but the cases serve as a reminder that certificate forgery is a serious offense that should not be tolerated.