Certificate Scandal: Melaye graduated from ABU with different name -VC

The Vice - Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria , Prof Ibrahim Garba , on Tuesday, said the lawmaker representing Kogi - West senatorial district, Senator Dino Melaye, graduated from the institution.

Garba , who was placed on oath by the Senate Committee on Ethics , Privileges and Public Petitions, appeared before the panel on Tuesday.

He said the lawmaker graduated from ABU while bearing a different first and middle names .
The committee had conducted a public hearing as part of its probe into the controversy surrounding Melaye’ s graduation from ABU .

The move was based on a point of order raised last Tuesday by a former Majority Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, who called on the upper chamber of the National Assembly to investigate the certificate scandal involving Melaye.

An online news portal , Sahara Reporters, had in a series of reports alleged that Melaye did not graduate from the university .

Speaking before the panel on Tuesday, the VC of ABU was asked if Melaye was a student of the institution and what qualification he bagged as an undergraduate student .

Garba said, “From the records , I know Senator Dino Melaye , who was formerly known as Jonah Daniel Melaye, as a former student of the Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria , and I know him to be the distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria .

“From the records of the Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria , distinguished Senator Dino Melaye , who was at that time named Daniel Jonah Melaye, graduated with a Third Class degree of the Bachelors of Arts in Geography in the year 2000 . And by this , he is a graduate of the university . ”

Members of the panel asked the vice - chancellor to repeat what he said, reminding him that he was on oath.
He said, “On my honour , I reaffirm that Senator Dino Melaye graduated as Daniel Jonah Melaye during the third semester of the 1998 / 1999 academic session with a Third Class degree in Geography; that is Bachelors of Arts in Geography. ”

Earlier , Melaye was asked if he was a student of ABU and graduated from the institution.

He replied , “I have a few documents I would also want to tender to the committee and before I do that , I also want to state with every sense of responsibility , that I am a graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria .

“I gained admission with an offer of admission on September 6 , 1994 , and the admission is to study for a Bachelor of Arts degree (in ) Geography and a copy of that admission letter will be tendered .

“I also have a second document to tender; my acceptance offer by the university . I also have the third document to tender, which is my result from the Ahmadu Bello University , certifying me a graduate of the school .

“I also have here a document for my registration that I tendered , where I have C 5 in CRS, A 3 in Agric , C 6 in Economics, C 6 in Geography , C 6 in Biology and a Credit in English. I will also tender that as evidence . ”
The lawmaker explained that after his graduation from ABU , the school mobilised him for the National Youth Service Corps between 2000 and 2001.

He said, “I served in Police College , Kaduna , and by the grace of God, that year , I won the National Prize of the Director General (of the NYSC ) and it is on record and verifiable. I beg to tender my discharge certificate from the NYSC . ”

When asked of the irregularities in the names on his certificate , Melaye said he had sworn to an affidavit to regularise the names and inform all relevant institutions .

He said, “My name as an undergraduate was Daniel Jonah Melaye. Jonah is actually my father’s name; so, that is what I have on my university certificate . But because I am now popularly known as Dino, I applied to the court and asked that I needed an affidavit for a change of name before my admission and I submitted it to ABU . ”