Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court Lagos against the West African Examination Council, WAEC, over its refusal to produce the certified true copy of the result of Hope Uzodinma, the chairman, Senate committee on aviation.
Keyamo said that he had written to WAEC on May 14, 2013, requesting the body to produce an original copy of Uzodinma’s result in pursuance Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), which states that: “Where information is applied for under this Act, the public institution to which the application is made shall…make the information available to the applicant.”
Uzodinma claims to be an alumnus of the Mgbidi Boys High School, Imo State from where he allegedly obtained his West African Senior School Certificate in 1982.
However, Keyamo said inquiry and investigation into the names and persons that graduated in that year has revealed that Senator Hope Uzodinma was not a graduate of the school in 1982.
It is this discovery that has necessitated the need to verify the claims of HopeUzodinma, which only a Certified True Copy of his West African Senior School Certificate can prove.
In an application before the court, Keyamo is asking the court for “an order granting leave to the applicant to apply for Judicial Review for an Order of Mandamus compelling the respondent (WAEC) to produce the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Hope Uzodinma to the Applicant, in accordance with Section 1(1), (2), & (4) of The Freedom Of Information (FOI) Act, 2011,” and for any such order as is deemed fit by the court.
Uzodinma had previously been involved in a forgery scandal where he was accused of claiming to have graduated from the Washington University, St. Loius, Missouri, United States, from where he said he bagged a degree in Arts/Criminology.
But the Hope Uzodinma Campaign Organisation, HUCO, debunked the allegation; saying that contrary to media reports, its principal, attended Washington International University in the United States and obtained a degree in InternationalStuies and Diplomacy.
“Senator Hope Uzodinma did not attend Washington University, St. Loius, Missouri, United States and did not obtain any certificate from the said university. For clarity and avoidance of doubt, the distinguished senator attended Washington International University in the United States on a part time basis and obtained a Bachelors of Arts Degree in International Studies and Diplomacy,” the director-general of the Campaign Organisation, Nze Ignatius Umuna said.
Find below some particulars of the suit by Keyamo
IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA
HOLDEN AT LAGOS
SUIT NO: FHC/L/CS/921/2013
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW BY FESTUSKEYAMO FOR AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS
BETWEEN:
FESTUS KEYAMO ……. APPLICANT
AND
WEST AFRICAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL …….. RESPONDENT
MOTION EXPARTE
BROUGHT UNDER:
1. ORDER 34 RULE 1 (1)(a) AND RULE 3 (1) AND (2) OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT (CIVIL PROCEDURE) RULES 2009
2. SECTION 1(1) ,(2), (3) & 4 OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION (FOI) ACT, 2011.
3. UNDER THE INHERENT JURISDICTION OF THIS HONOURABLE COURT
TAKE NOTICE that this Honorable Court will be moved on …… day of ………. 2013 at the hour of 9 0’clock in the forenoon or so soon thereafter as counsel may be heard on behalf of the Applicant for the following reliefs:
1. AN ORDER granting leave to the Applicant to apply for Judicial Review for an Order of Mandamus compelling the Respondent to produce the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Hope Uzodinma to the Applicant, in accordance with Section 1(1), (2), & (4) of The Freedom Of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
2. AND FOR SUCH FURTHER ORDER OR OTHER ORDERS as this Honorable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this Application.
Dated this 1st day of July, 2013
IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA
HOLDEN AT LAGOS
SUIT NO: FHC/L/CS/921/2013
IN THE MATTER OF AN APPLICATION FOR JUDICIAL REVIEW BY FESTUSKEYAMO FOR AN ORDER OF MANDAMUS
BETWEEN:
FESTUS KEYAMO ……. APPLICANT
AND
WEST AFRICAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL …….. RESPONDENT
STATEMENT PURSUANT TO ORDER 34 RULE 2 (a) OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT (CIVIL PROCEDURE) RULES 2009.
1. NAMES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THE APPLICANT
FESTUS KEYAMO.
FESTUS KEYAMO CHAMBERS
1, FESTUS KEYAMO LANE
OFF ADEBAYO MOKUOLU STREET,
OFF GBAGADA EXPRESSWAY,
BEHIND HOTEL NEWCASTLE,
ANTHONY VILLAGE,
LAGOS STATE.
2. RELIEFS SOUGHT BY THE APPLICANT
a. AN ORDER granting leave to the Applicant to apply for Judicial Review for an Order of Mandamus compelling the Respondent to produce the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Hope Uzodinma to the Applicant, in accordance with Section 1(1), (2), & (4) Of The Freedom Of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
b. AND FOR SUCH FURTHER ORDER OR OTHER ORDERS as this Honorable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this Application.
3. GROUNDS UPON WHICH THE RELIEFS ARE SOUGHT:
a. The Applicant pursuant to Section 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2011 has with a letter dated 14th May, 2013 applied to the Respondent to produce the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Hope Uzodinmato the Applicant.
b. The Respondent has ignored and/or refused to produce the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Hope Uzodinma to the Applicant in accordance with Section 4 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011.
4. FACTS LEADING TO THIS APPLICATION:
a. The Applicant is a legal practitioner, solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, who is passionately involved in legal activities for the protection of human rights and in the fight against corruption in public places in Nigeria.
b. Hope Uzodinma, a Senator of the Federal republic of Nigeria has always claimed to be an Alumni of Mgbidi Boys High School, Imo State from where he allegedly obtained his West African Senior School Certificate in 1982.
c. The said Hope Uzodinma claimed to have graduated from the Mgbidi Boys High School, Imo State in 1982.
d. That inquiry and investigation into the names and persons that graduated in that year has revealed that Senator Hope Uzodinma was not a graduate of the school in 1982.
c. Consequent upon the legal activities of the Applicant, there has arisen a need to verify the claims of Hope Uzodinma by the Certified True Copy of his West African Senior School Certificate.
d. The Applicant is an active legal practitioner and a senior member of Nigeria Bar Association that has resolved to fight and expose corruption in public places in Nigeria and is passionately involved in legal activities for the protection of human right.
e. By a letter dated 14th day of May, 2013 served on the Respondent on the 24thday of June, 2013 the Applicant has applied for the production of the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Senator Hope Uzodinma. Attached a marked exhibit “A” is the acknowledged copy of the said letter dated 14thMay, 2013.
f. On the 1st day of July, 2013 at 10.00am Festus Afeiyodion, a Counsel in Chambers visited the Respondent’s office with a view of collecting the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Senator Hope Uzodinmabut he was left unattended to till the close of work.
g. The Respondent has ignored and/or refused to produce the Certified True Copy of the West African Senior School Certificate of Hope Uzodinma.
Dated this 1st day of July, 2013