Adeleke obtained degree certificate in 24 days —Witness

The Chairman of the Osun State Chieftaincy Affairs Review Committee,  Revd. Samuel Bunmi Jenyo, who claimed to be a Personal Assistant to Governor Ademola Adeleke, has said  the governor obtained his degree in 24 days. Rev  Jenyo said Adeleke obtained his Diploma Certificate in Penn Foster High School on 16th July, 2021 and degree from Atlanta Metropolitan College on 9th of August 2021.

Jenyo made the revelation last Thursday while testifying before the Justice Tertsea Kume-led tribunal at the resumed hearing of the petition filed by former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as the governor of the state.

Oyetola and the APC are challenging the declaration of Governor Adeleke on two grounds: over-voting and eligibility to run in view of alleged inconsistencies in his certificates.

Rev. Jenyo tendered Adeleke’s certificates, bearing Penn Foster High School and Atlanta Metropolitan State College. He also told the Tribunal during the cross examination that though he has never worked in any of the institutions purported to have been attended by the Governor,  part of his responsibility as Adeleke’s Personal Assistant was to keep the governor’s personal documents, thus giving him access to his certificates and academic details. The witness also said that though his International Passport does not show he attended Adeleke’s graduation in US, he submitted that he attended the Graduation ceremony. After the Cross examination, Adeleke’s counsel closed his case.

Subsequently, counsel for PDP, Alex Izinyon, SAN, also opened his case and told the panel that he would not be calling any witness but would be relying on the evidence of the two other respondents. He then tendered some documents and closed his case.

It will be recalled that when Governor Adeleke was contesting in 2018, he claimed to have registered for GCE O’ Level in 1981 but had F9 in English Language and was recorded absent for other subjects.

At the time, too, his profile on the website of the National Assembly also indicated that he was a holder of a Diploma Certificate in Criminology from Jacksonville State University (JSU), where he purportedly graduated from in 1986.

But upon his return from abroad this year to contest the July Governorship election, the governor claimed that he had a diploma awarded to him mid last year, and that the said certificate qualified him for a B.Sc. in Criminal Justice, from the Atlanta Metropolitan State College in the United States. And he claimed to have obtained the degree barely 24 days after getting the said Diploma certificate.

Meanwhile, the tribunal has adjourned till January 13, 2023 for the parties in the matter to adopt their final written addresses.