The Emperor Of Lagos Story Part Two - How It Continued

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Hence, we concluded that the petition was written in fictitious names. Attached here with and marked Annexure 1 and 2 are pictures of the buildings bearing the above addresse. taken when the committee visited the addresses. Also attached and Annexure 3 and 4 are copies of the evidence of courier of the letters forwarded to the fictitious petitioners.

The committee invited Editors of This Day newspaper because of the prominences, which they have given to the publication of the allegations. The editors of This Day visited us informally, refusing to oblige our invitation and informing us that they would rely on their publications. The Executive Governor of Lagos State was also invited and he appeared before the committee on Thursday, September 23, 1999 in the company of his counsel, Femi Falana,
Esquire.

We also invited Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, -who represents Lagos State Central Senatorial Constituency of the Senate, National Assembly, Abuja, who recently at a press conference claimed responsibility for the errors on both the INEC FORM CF. ODland an affidavit sworn to at the Ikeja High Court of Justice on 29th December 1998.

Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi appeared before the committee on Friday, September 24, 1999 in the company of
his counsel, Professor Itsey Sagay (SAN). In the evening of Thursday, September 23, 1999, the Speaker of Lagos House of Assembly received a memorandum from Chief Gani Fawehinmi, senior member of the bar and human
right activist, written on the same date, in respect of the matter before this ad-ho~ committee. The memorandum was forwarded to the committee for consideration. Chief Gani Fawehimni has been in the fore-front of those calling for the investigation of the allegation against the Executive Governor of Lagos State and that if found culpable, he should be prosecuted)

Chief Gani Fawehinmi had earlier written to the Executive Governor of Lagos State'on Monday, September 13, 1999 asking him to confirm or deny the allegations against him in 7 days . He had also written to the Inspector-General of Police on Tuesday September 21, 1999 to make public the outcome of his investigation into the allegations. The cornmittee therefore invited Chief Gani Fawehinmi to appear before it and he did appear before the committee Saturday, September 25, 1999.

The Governor's Testimony:'
The Governor of Lagos State started his evidence by admitting full respons bility for some of the "needless errors", being pinpointed in recent publications and which form the basis of the allegations against him:

.The governor told the committee that .as a result of the acrimonious primaries of the Alliance for Democracy III Lagos State and Its attendant CriSIS, the information contained both in the lNEC form and affidavit of loss of certificates was supplied by one of his political aides, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyorni.

The governor then submitted to the committee a copy of the Social Democratic Party senatorial candidature fohn dated June 1, 1992 which he used to contest the 1992 S natorial election as candidate of the party for Lagos West. In the form, which he personally filled, the governor attached the certificate 0 I Richard Daley College and Chicago State University. For his educational qualifications, he filled B.S¢, Accounting only• This, according to him, demonstrated that "needless errors" spotted in the 19?9 INEC form were not consistent and that they were "genuine errors". He further directed the attention of the committee to the INEC Form CFa 1 that bore a wrong date of 28th December 1999 instead of 28th December 1998. The error, he said , was made by lNEC which printed the for ri.






Anti not even the Commissioners of Oath spotted this error. This, in his view, further confirmed that the hurried and confused manner under which the preparations for the governorship primaries of 1998 were organised, gave rise to error on all sides. The governor said he was born Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu in 1952. He attended S1. John's Primary School, Aroloya, Lagos and Children's Home School in Ibadan. The governor spoke about his difficult and traumatic youth and how he scaled the hurdles of life as a self-made man. After his primary education, the governor said he was admitted to secondary schools but he could not further his education because of his 'poverty.

The governor thus had to engage in menial jobs before he proceeded in 1970 to United States of America, in search of the proverbial Golden Fleece. The governor informed us that in America, he undertook various odd jobs' and tried to improve himself academically. After five years of the most harrowing working experience, the governor said he enrolled at Richard Daley College in Chicago, which among others offers basic, remedial and academic classes, preparatory to entering Chicago State University. He presented a photocopy of -a certificate issued by Richard J. Daley College (City Colleges of Chicago), a copy of which is attached herewith and marked "Annexure 5". Throughout the time he studied in Chicago, the gover~or said he also had to fend for himself and that he actually paid his way through school by working extra hours as a tutor in the same university. He said he also studied for extra hours, especially during summer.

The governor said 27 (twenty-seven) credit hours were transferred from Richard Daley College to Chicago State University, where he obtained Bachelor of Science in Business and Administration. His major was in Accounting. To back up his claim, the Governor produces the following documents: :

1. A copy of a letter dated September 6; 1978 written by Andrew F. Sikula, Dean, College of Business Administration, Chicago State University informing Mr. IJolh Tinubu that he had made tJ:1~ Dean's honours list by making a 3.50 or better:gi:ad~ point average. This is herewith attached and marked as "Annexure 6. : I .: ,., ; ','."

2 An inter-office memorandum ofChicago State University dated May 28, 197~ 'vritt~~ • by one Clyde Smith to the Honours Award Committee recommending Bola A'~ ,Tinubu as Recipient of the outstanding Senior award. This is herewith attached and;I11arke, Annexure 7"; ~

3. Copies ofthe ~y/J~e 1979 edition.ofth~ TElv1PO, Chicago State University IC~mpi~
Journal covenng Chicago State University Annual Awards Ceremony. Bola Tinubu was described as the President of the Accounting Society and was also said to running for student government association presidency. This is hereJith attachbd and marked as "Annexure 8". 1 :- i. I;;
4. A Chicago ' State University STATEMENT issued by the Accounts' Receivadl~
Department.on June 15, 1979 with his social security number. This is herewith'attached
and marked as "Annexure 9"; i I ~i;
5. The Chicago State University Cerificate dated 22nd day of June, 1979 cdnferlin-g
upon Bola Tinubu the degree ofBachelor of Science in Business and Admirustration
(Accounting with honours). This is herewith attached and marked as "A'mle~u~e
10"• iT! ! 1
11 , , . I '
6. A copy of Chicago State University Outstanding Senior Award Certificate 1atedi5JP
July 1979, awarded to Bola A. Tinubu. T~is is herewith attached and mprkc? ~s
"Annexure 11"; . I I I',
7. A copy of Chicago State University Departmental Certificate ofMerit dated ~th JUII
,
1979 presented to Bola A. Tinubu. This is herewith attached and marked as '; the: I
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