From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said the issue of his missing certificate was politics taken too far to create the wrong public perception about his person.
The governor who addressing journalists after inspecting ongoing projects at the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro in Isoko North Local Government Area, said though he lost his WAEC certificate, he had the print out from Edo College, Benin City, noting that he made the second best result in the country in the 1976 final examinations.
He said virtually all universities in the country offered him admission based on his outstanding performance in WASC and Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations, but he opted for the University of Ibadan.
“On the issue of my certificate, I think it is a misconception; people try to play politics with everything. Yes, I lost my WAEC certificate, but I have the print out from Edo College, Benin City, which clearly stated that I have distinction in all subjects.
“The Higher School Certificate was attached and it has been acknowledged by Edo College and the school put it out there that I made an ‘A’ ‘B’ ‘B’. I do not pride myself but it was very difficult to make such grade in higher school at that time. My high school result was the second best nationally in 1976, when I finished. So, many universities admitted me through telegram as at that time, and I had to start making choices of which to accept.
“Of course, it’s very clear that I finished medical school at the University of Ibadan. I was 21 years and some months; I was less than 22 years of age.”
On the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the governor called on the Federal Government to expedite action in resolving the issues, adding that every government should be sincere enough to keep to promises and agreements at all times.
Okowa said lecturers were not on strike in the four universities owned by the state, saying that the state government was “fulfilling all the requirements and that’s why you can see that this university and our three other universities are all active and in session because we do not have any issues with our lecturers.”
