Our Reporter 22/07/2012 00:02:00
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has been accused of lying about his Degree in Arts/Criminology from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, United States, according to a news portal, Pointblanknews.com findings. The Senator had, in an interview with a national newspaper (Not Sunday Mirror), and on his Facebook page and other documents, indicated that he obtained a Degree in Arts/ Criminology from the Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.
However, Pointblanknews. com’s investigations at the Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, showed that the Senator representing Orlu Senatorial District never obtained a degree from the University.
“Sorry, we don’t have such name in our database; you can please call or reach out to the Registrar’s office, a lady who refused to be named in the Office of Alumni Affairs of the School, had told the news portal.
A check at the Registrar’s office where data of all students including those that have graduated are kept did not find the name “Hope Uzodinma,” or any similar name.
“Please, we don’t have such name in our record. But you can also check at the National Clearing House,” an official who simply gave his name as Kelvin at the Registrar’s office of the Washington University, told Pointblanknews.com.
The News organisationalso checked through official records at the National Clearing House and was told the name, Hope Uzodinma, does not exist in any of its database.
“We cannot get any record with such name, I am sorry,” Kerry Anderson of the National Clearing House, allegedly told Pointblanknews. com.
It was gathered that Pointblanknews.com investigation came about as a result of the alarm raised by a group, Save Imo, that Uzodinma did not have the two degree certificates from a Nigerian University and another from oversea as he had claimed.
The news service reported that a statement endorsed by the coordinator of the group, Nze Ebubeagu Ekenulo, said findings by the organization revealed that the lawmaker’s claims were unfounded.
“Both universities have confirmed that the senator never attended their institutions, hence obtained no degrees from them,” Ekenulo maintained.
The group promised to make public the result of another investigation carried out at a secondary school in Imo State and a report from Government College, Etche in Rivers State.
It will be recalled that Uzodinma, who heads the Senate Committee on Aviation, had in the newspaper interview claimed he obtained a degree from Washington University and a Higher National Diploma from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State.
Senator Uzodinma has been dogged by allegations bordering on fraudulent activities. In 2005, Spring Bank Plc, lodged a complaint with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against the Senator for fraudulent diversion and obtaining money under false pretenses.
After a thorough investigation, the Commission found a prima facie case against him and filed a nine-count charge against him at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Division in Charge No. ID/82C/2008: F.R.N V. HOPE UZODINMA.
http://www.informationnigeria.org/2012/07/serving-senator-in-certificate-forgery-scandal.html
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