The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Southwest has challenged the
Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to speak up on the raging
controversies over his educational qualifications.
The party said it was appalled that academic credentials of the
governor are being questioned on the internet for over three weeks now
without formal response from either him or any of his aides, adding
that; “Aregbesola needs to speak out because the people of Osun State
deserve to know who their governor is.”
Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Kayode Babade said in a
release issued today that the governor should also explain his status
as an Engineer so as to lay to rest the controversy over his
qualification as an Engineer, saying; “The governor has nothing to
lose by being opened with his academic records because even when the
birth place of President Barrack Obama of the US became an issue, he
promptly released his Birth Certificate.”
Babade said “Without prejudice to the governor’s claims as per his
academic qualifications, it is necessary that he tell the public when
he actually qualified as Engineer because his supporters are claiming
that he obtained Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria
(COREN) membership on October 13, 1999, with Certificate Number 002829
and Membership Number R. 7822.This was 19 clear years after he claimed
to have obtained HND from Ibadan Polytechnic in 1980!
“If actually the governor obtained COREN certificate in 1999, when he
was already a Commissioner for Works in Lagos State and was addressed
as an Engineer before, when and after he was appointed commissioner,
Isn’t it clear then that Aregbesola impersonated as an Engineer until
October 13, 1999 that he actually became an Engineer?
“For instance, one Alagba Leye Ige claimed that Aregbesola got an NND
in 1980, while one Wale Adedayo Said the governor was Chief Engineer
at Airport Hotel in the early 80s. It was also claimed in Aregbesola’s
profile that he established his own engineering services company,
Aurora Nigeria Limited in 1986.
“From the above, the question to be asked is; how was Aregbesola
employed as a Chief Engineer in the early 1980s when he was not a
COREN registered engineer until 1999? Why was Aregbesola addressed as
an Engineer when he was appointed commissioner for works in Lagos
State prior to his qualification as a COREN registered engineer? And
lastly, could it have been that Aregbesola used his position as a
commissioner in Lagos State to influence his issuance of COREN
certificate?
“Aregbesola needs to answer the above questions so as to lay to rest
the controversies now being generated on the internet concerning his
academic qualifications and qualification as an engineer.”
