Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Special Adviser on Political Matters to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Adebiyi Adeleye, has described a certificate forgery allegation against him as “false and unfounded”, declaring that “the court has vindicated me.”
Adebiyi, who represented Remo North State Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly between 2015 and 2019, added that apart from the fact a Federal High Court in Abeokuta dismissed the suit of forgery against him in 2017, he had since made available his original academic certificates to the police and other relevant authorities.
He stated this on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, while briefing reporters on the allegation.
An online news platform had on Tuesday morning published a story alleging Adebiyi, who was dragged to court in 2016 for forgery of academic certificates, was yet to prove his innocence in the case.
Daily Sun reports that the former legislator is the third appointees of Governor Abiodun to be enmeshed in alleged certificate forgery.
A Commissioner-designate, Professor Sidi Osho and a Special Adviser on Education, Joseph Odemuyiwa, had earlier been alleged of certificates forgery.
But Adebiyi, on Tuesday, insisted that the case of forgery instituted by the duo of Wasiu Taiwo Gbadebo and Onamuyiwa Isaac Olumuyiwa against him in 2016, had been struck out by Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abeokuta in 2017.
The court ruling, a copy displayed to journalists by Adebiyi and sighted by our correspondent, Justice Mohammed in his ruling on the suit number FHC/AB/CS/3/2017, declared that the matter had been “statute-barred” and “overtaken by events” and dismissed the suit.
The Special Adviser, who wondered why the matter that had been decided by the court was being used against him, fingered his political opponents as the brain behind his “ordeal”.
“After the police investigation was concluded and they were not convinced, the same people took me to court and I was vindicated. First and second time. I wonder why this is coming up now. After serving as local government chairman and there was no issue; serving as an Assemblyman. If as chairman you took me to court and as Assemblyman you took me to court, I won. How many jeopardies? I have heard of double jeopardy; I’ve not heard of triple jeopardy. You took me to the police, the police vindicated me. You took me to court the first time, the court vindicated me. The second time I was also cleared,” he stated.
He, however, said he was ready to present all his original academic credentials, including his secondary school testimonial, the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) certificate he obtained from the Federal College of Fresh Water Fisheries Technology, New Bussa, Niger State, for security and public scrutiny.