Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, ahead of the April 20 governorship primary, has expressed relief after being the first aspirant to receive clearance from the All Progressives Congress (APC) screening committee on Friday.

This clearance comes amidst swirling controversies and accusations concerning alleged forgery of academic certificates that have marred his campaign in recent weeks.

Hassan’s petition suggested potential interference by a high-ranking officer with the ongoing investigation into Aiyedatiwa’s academic credentials. However, these allegations have been strongly refuted by the governor’s legal team.

Compounding the governor’s challenges, fellow APC governorship aspirant, Gbenga Edema urged the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and the National Working Committee to scrutinize the authenticity of Aiyedatiwa’s certificate.

Edema emphasized that his actions were not motivated by jealousy but by concern over potential electoral repercussions, citing the historical precedent of the APC’s Bayelsa candidate, David Lyon, who was disqualified post-election by the Supreme Court over similar issues.

Despite these controversies, Governor Aiyedatiwa, visibly elated, addressed the press at the APC’s national secretariat, declaring that the certificate issue had been “laid to rest” following his clearance.

He said, “Screening is one of the processes aspirants have to go through. Mine has just been done this morning and all documents that were submitted have to be verified and questions asked where some are not too clear to the screening committee. Questions were asked and answered.

“At the end of the day, I have been cleared, especially on the issue that has to do with my certificate that a petition was written. Today, that has been put to rest. My certificates are genuine and authentic.

“I think it is a kind of mischief by some aspirants who see me as the man to beat and had to look for a way to discredit my person. Today, it has been verified and put to rest.”

The governor also narrated what led to the confusion that gave rise to the allegation of ‘fake credentials.’

According to him, the then governor of Lagos, Lateef Jakande, was compelled to merge some schools, particularly those affected by flood, with the Ikosi High School that he attended.

He said, “As a student of history, you will recall that in 1989 when Lateef Jakande became governor of Lagos State private schools were taken over. Schools were built for the communities. And Ikosi High School that I attended is one of those schools built by the government of Lateef Jakande. So, it is on record that the school was established in 1980 and at that time, I was already in Form Three in a private school, New Nation, in Ikosi while Royal Comprehensive High School is in Ajegunle Ikorudu, very close to Ketu.

“So all of us were moved, including New Nation and Royal Comprehensive High School and some other schools that were affected by the flood into Ikosi High School, Ketu which was built by the government. That was how we wrote our WASCE in 1982 because we were in the first set. I was in Form Three at the time and it used to be five years, not now that you have six years for secondary school.

“So their question or the petition bothers on why a school established in 1980 could have a first set leaving in 1982 instead of 1985. But he (the petitioner) didn’t take the time to look at the history. But an investigation has been conducted. The schools are still there and the WAEC office is there where you can verify the subjects I took and the year I graduated from the school.

“You just need to buy a scratch card and go to the website of WAEC. It will be there – Ikosi High School Iketu and my name will be there with the subjects that I took and the various grades. So it is now clear to everybody that my certificate is authentic and I graduated from that school in 1982.”