Sunday 7 October 2012

Certificate forgery: A’Ibom lawmaker challenges NewsDay …as former council boss stands by publication


Hon. Paul Owo
The member representing Ini State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Paul Akpan Owo has reacted to a publication in Newsday Newspaper publication of Vol.10. No.2 of Monday, January 17-21, 2011 with the banner “Attention PDP” Paul Owo: How old are you, who is fooling who”?
In the said publication which had an advertorial, the certificates of the lawmaker were displayed signed by Hon. Emmanuel Ebe a former chairman of Ini Local Government Area describing the purported certificates being paraded by Rt. Hon. Paul Owo as fake, a criminally minded act which is unbecoming of a lawmaker.
Hon. Emmanuel Ebe had stated in the advertorial that it was “unbelievable that Hon. Paul Akpan Owo sat for his First School Leaving Certificate in 1981 before he was born in 1983 as indicated on his (SSCE) 2003 result and he equally obtained his West African Examination Council (GCE) 1986. Who is fooling who?”
He further stated that “This is to say that in six years of age, he acquired both his First School Leaving Certificate and (GCE) and also swore a false affidavit of age in the court of law. This is criminal and unbecoming of a lawmaker.
Reacting through his lawyer, one Kenechukwu Azie through a letter sent to Newsday office, Hon. Paul Owoh described the story as most unfortunate, unfair, damaging, libelous and incriminating which has portrayed him in bad light causing several insinuation.
The lawmaker further threatened to sue Newsday Newspaper if the said publication was not retracted and the sum of N20,000,000.00 (Twenty million naira) as compensation.
However, in a swift reaction, a former Executive chairman of Ini local government area,Hon Emmanuel Ebe said Hon. Paul Owo should address the issues raised and stop diverting attention.
Hon. Emmanuel Ebe who spoke with Newsday said that Hon. Paul Owo through his lawyer failed to address the issues raised if they were true or false and should come out explicitly to address these issue rather than “beating around the bush” in order to save face.
He said that he had expected the lawmaker to painstakingly address the issues which have been brought to the public glare to  be considered rather than casting aspersions, diverting attention and sustaining a deceitful cover on his academic qualification. 
The former council boss restated his earlier statement standing by the story challenging Hon. Paul Owoh to contest the facts as presented.
 NewsDay

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