…As Collins Nkeocha, Director in the Ministry of LGA/Chieftaincy Affairs flees over Scandal
By Emeka Ani, Owerri
There is palpable panic in Iho-Dimeze autonomous community, Ikeduru local government area of Imo State following an alleged forgery of West African Certificate Examination by an Ezeship Contestant, Chief Martins Amaku who is said to be desperate for the throne.
In a petition written by Barr Steven Nnamdi, captioned, “Aiding and Abetting Corruption, Compromising Official Position, Swapping of West African School Result with Statement of Result, and Fraudulent Activities by Collins Nkwocha: A Clarion Call for Investigation”
and addressed to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Imo State government, the Director was accused of compromising with Martin Amaku to allegedly commit the offense.
According to the petition which is attached herewith, the Ezeship Contender, Martin Amaku was alleged to have criminally forged a WAEC Certificate with No: 7041258 purpotedly obtained in 2005 with examination No: 433211050 to give him the leeway to contest the throne.
A closer look at the WAEC Certificate and Statement of Result showed that the said documents bear the name of one Amaka Martin and not Martin Amaku as he claimed. The results also appeared that the candidate, Martin Amaku entered the school and graduated from the same school on the same day. A retired Principal of a secondary school who was contacted described the results as fake, forged and criminally mutilated, adding that no student can gain admission and graduated from the same school on the same, date and year.
Information further gathered indicates that the Ezeship Contender, Martin Amaku had earlier submitted the certificate to both the committee set up to screen Ezeship candidates by Iho-Dimeze autonomous community and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs through the Director, Collins Nkwocha, but became skeptical immediately the certificate was allegedly discovered to be forged, he was said to have connived with the said Director Nkwocha to swap the certificate with a mere statement of result with different results to frustrate justice.
Investigation further showed that Martin Amaku ought not to have swapped the earlier submitted certificate with a statement of result have said to have collected WAEC Certificate purpotedly obtained in 2005.
In a phone call conversation with a University don over the issue, Prof Chidi Iwuoha said that once an institution issues a candidate with original certificate, statement of result immediately becomes invalid and of no use.
A look at the Imo State traditional institution and Chieftaincy Affairs Laws shows that submission of fraudulent documents to obtain unmerited recognition amounts to criminality, which prescribes capital punishment including imprisonment for anyone caught in the act.
Meanwhile, concerned indigenes of the state opposed to corruption and certification forgery have petitioned the Governor of Imo State, Head of Service and the Commissioner for Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) over the certificate scandal and the alleged involvement of the Director, Collins Nkwocha in aiding and abating fraud which led to swapping of the forged WASSC Certificate with a mere statement of Result.
It can be recalled that the Director, Collins Nkwocha had in connivance with Martin Amaku, an Ezeship Contender allegedly removed the forged certificate from the official file of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs after receiving the hint that Police investigation had confirmed the forgery.
In a chat with a senior staff of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs who pleaded anonymity disclosed that submission of certificates was a pre-requisite condition for any person contesting Ezeship position in line with the Imo State edict, and wondered how an earlier submitted certificate was swapped for no justifiable reason.
When interviewed on the matter, one of the Ezeship contestants, Chief Willington Osuagwu called on the Government to set up a Personnel Management Board (PMB) to look into the matter with outmost attention to determine the notion behind this odious act which is allegedly believed to be as a result of material inducement, since the Ezeship matter is still pending in court.
According to Chief Osuagwu, the Governor should resist every pressure to grant the application of Chief Martin Amaku for recognition and possibly, issuance of staff of office pending the determination of the matters in court.
It was further gathered that the accused person, Chief Amaku has engaged in serious lobbying of known friends and relations of the Governor including an influential member of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers.
Earlier, he had boasted to have the ears of the Governor because of family ties, but despite that, Chief Osuagwu posits that he has explicit confidence in the Governor as a thorough breed leader and a Prince from a Royal family, he would not be easily swayed to recognize a man allegedly in a certificate scandal.
Reacting, a renowned Monarch who didn’t want his name in print maintained that the position of Traditional Ruler in Igbo land was based on certain qualities anchored on maturity, experience and integrity, adding that people with questionable character are forbidden from delving into it let alone, using material inducement to snatch the laurel from the Master Brow. (Government).
Every effort to reach the Traditional Prime Minister of Iho Dimeze for comments on the issue proved abortive.
Meanwhile, when our reporter visited the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the office of the Head of Service and the Commissioner were not on seat.
A staff who pleaded anonymity told the reporter that when the file from Ikeduru local government area on the subject matter arrived, it came with a WASSC certificate, as no file comes to the Ministry without a qualifying certificate.
All efforts to get the reaction of Chief Martin Amaku on phone was unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.
