Proprietor confirms Idris as student

07.03.2008

PROFESSOR Goldie Barango Tariah, proprietor of King’s College of Commerce, Buguma, Rivers State, where former Governor Ibrahim Idris of Kogi State attended on Thursday said that the former governor was actually his student.

The proprietor who flew in from Port Harcourt in the morning said that Idris, popularly called “Idie,” was the only student from the north in 1964 up till 1966 when the civil war broke out.

The octogenarian who spoke with newsmen during a press conference in Abuja, said that it was the war that obstructed the academic programme and that was the reason he, Idris, had to return to the North.

“I hereby confirm that Idris was a student in my school and it is not good for the nation’s political development for people to start insinuating that he did not attend KCC.

“Idris Ibrahim was a popular character in KCC in those days. Civil war distrupted the programme and the school closed.” The present principal of the school, Mr. Charles Amacheree also denied ever issuing of caused a disclaimer to be published that the former governor never attended the school, saying as a teacher he has the integrity to own up if he did.

Amacheree said that he checked through the school record and discovered that Idris Ibrahim was a student and that he came to Abuja to clear the misgivings already made out of controversy about the former governor’s qualification.

Asked whether the Rivers State government, being the owner of the school, gave permission for him to travel to Abuja for the purpose of the press conference, he answered in the affirmative, saying the governor is aware.

It would be recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja was last Thursday asked to bar Alhaji Idris from contesting the fresh election in the state over allegation of certificate forgery and perjury.

In a suit filed by the All Nigeria People Party (ANPP) governorship candidate for the state, Prince Abubakar Audu, he is asking the court to make an order disqualifying Idris from contesting the fresh governorship election in the State as ordered by the Court of Appeal on 6th February, 2008.

Idris and the Independent National Electoral Commission were the defendants in the suit. Idris was sacked as Kogi governor by the court of appeal upon an election petition filed by Audu.

In the fresh suit, the plaintiff alleged that Idris gave false information on oath in the INEC Form CF 001 filled and submitted by him regarding the secondary school he attended.

Audu deposed to an affidavit where he averred thus “For the first defendant to have stated that he attended Kings Commercial College, Buguma is false in every material particular,’’ the plaintiff said in an affidavit.

“To show the deceit and falsehood in the Form, he did not state the years he attended the said school.” The plaintiff alleged that there was no record in the said school that Idris was ever a student there.

A letter from the school dated  12 September 2007 and signed by the school Principal, Mr. Charles Amachere, disclaiminread: “The name Ibrahim Idris or Idris Abubakar does not exist on our school records and I wish to make it emphatically and categorically clear that this man did not attend our school in Buguma.

“Out of the 224 students that sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) May/June 2001, the name, Idris Ibrahim, was never among our students.” The name on the WASCE certificate and the University of Abuja certificate presented by Idris read, “Ibrahim Idris Adejoh”, but the plaintiff said differed from the particulars in the INEC Form CF 001.

When the case came up on Friday, the trial judge, ordered substituted service of the court processes on the respondents. The request for substituted service was made by the plaintiff lawyer, Dr. Alex Iziyon (SAN), who said it was difficult to effect service on Idris because of campaign.

Kuewumi ordered that the service be effected on the respondents by publication in either The Punch or The Guardian. The judge granted accelerated hearing in the suit because of its urgent nature and adjourned till March 3 for report of service.