A civil society group, Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police to investigate and prosecute the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, over alleged forgery and falsification of a National Examination Council (NECO) Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSCE) result for June 2018.
In a press release, signed by Dr Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi (Wanban Shinkafi) the group said Matawalle submitted the disputed NECO result to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of his personal particulars when he contested for governor of Zamfara State ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The group argued that Matawalle was not qualified to sit for the June 2018 SSCE Internal examination, describing it as a students-based test restricted to regular candidates in their final year of secondary school.
Citing NECO’s registration guidelines, the group said only final-year students are eligible, with biometric data capture, a valid National Identification Number, and passport photographs in school uniform required. Transfer or admission of candidates into Senior School 3 across schools is also prohibited.
“It is curious how Bello Matawalle, a former member of the House of Representatives at the time, sat for the SSCE June 2018 examination meant for regular students in their uniforms, while preparing to contest for governor,” the group stated.
According to the documents released by the group, the alleged certificate bears Centre Number 0140300, Centre Name Universal Academy Kaduna, and Registration Number 82806975CC in the name of Bello Mohammed Matawalle from Zamfara State.
The group also referenced Matawalle’s earlier submissions to INEC since 1998, noting that he previously relied on a statement of result from the Ministry of Education Sokoto State, Division of Science and Technical Education, Vocational Training Centre, Bunza, for May/June 1985.
A letter from the Federal Ministry of Education dated 28th December 2018, Ref. No. EV/24/1/72, said the auto mechanic certificate issued by the Bunza Vocational Training Centre “cannot be evaluated” and “is not equivalent to a Senior School Certificate awarded by WAEC or NECO in Nigeria.”
The letter, signed by V. Rowland Kayode on behalf of the minister, was issued in response to a request for confirmation of the certificate’s status.
The group contended that Matawalle failed to meet the minimum constitutional requirement under Section 65(2) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates that candidates for the House of Representatives be “educated up to at least School certificate level or its equivalent.” The same standard applies to governorship candidates under Section 177(d).
“It is evident that Matawalle did not meet the minimum constitutional requirement to participate in all the elections he contested,” the group said, urging the IGP to direct a thorough investigation into what it called a breach of the constitution by a political office holder.
To aid the investigation, the group submitted four documents: Matawalle’s 1985 vocational training centre statement of result, the 2018 Federal Ministry of Education letter, a copy of the disputed NECO SSCE June 2018 result, and certified true copies of INEC Forms CFOO 2011, CFOO 2019, and EC9 2023.
The group also asked the police to verify Matawalle’s claim of attending Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, which was reportedly stated in one of the INEC forms, though no course or period of study was specified.
Executive Director of the group, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, said holding public office holders accountable is in the national interest and called for prosecution of anyone found culpable to deter future violations. Shinkafi, also known as Wanban Shinkafi and an aspirant for Zamfara North Senatorial Seat in 2027, said he expects prompt action from the Inspector General of Police.
0 Comments