…insist discharge certificate not issued by scheme_

Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah’s discharge certificate was not issued by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a group of civil society organisations and journalists has insisted.

The group said records from NYSC open correspondences, court documents, tribunal proceedings, among others have exonerated the NYSC and rendered Mbah’s certificate as fake.

The Save Nigeria Movement made this known at a press conference on Monday in Abuja in collaboration with Freelance Journalists Federation.

According to a statement jointly signed by Solomon Semaka and Oduma Abel King, the group said the presentation made by the Department of State Security Services (DSS)on the subject matter is immaterial and does not change the facts and glaring evidence on the ground.

“Let us be unequivocal in stating that the certificate being paraded by Governor Peter Mbah is a complete fabrication with absolutely nothing to do with the NYSC and this remains the position regardless of misleading reports in the media to the contrary,” the statement said.

“Records available to open sources which include from NYSC open correspondences, court documents, tribunal proceedings, and even the DSS findings, all confirm beyond any doubt that the particular NYSC certificate with registration number A808297 and been paraded by Gov Peter Mbah is undeniably fake and has no origin with the NYSC whatsoever.

“This fact, no matter how the parties beat about the bush doesn’t change the irrefutable point that NYSC did not issue the said certificate to Gov Peter Mbah at any point in time. We must also make it categorically clear that whether or not Gov Peter Mbah participated in the one-year mandatory service is immaterial to the question of the authenticity of the said certificate with registration number A808297. It is a different thing to start a process and a different thing to complete the process much more of an important program like the NYSC.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, let us examine these available records at our disposal. According to these records, Governor Peter Mbah was meant to complete his service year in September 2003, in Lagos State upon remobilization after his Law School. This is granted and nobody is contesting that fact. However, in a twist of events and apparent contravention of extant laws requiring the participation and completion of NYSC as a compulsory requirement for all graduates in Nigeria, Gov Peter Mbah was appointed as the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Enugu State on July 14, 2003, before September of the same year wherein he would have completed his service, with his office and residence in Enugu Government House accordingly.

“Can anyone in their right mind believe that he could have been a Corps member in a Law firm in Lagos and simultaneously be the Chief of Staff in Enugu within the same period? The contradictions are glaring and self-explanatory. The truth of the matter is that Gov Peter Mbah upon appointment on July 14, 2003, as chief of staff abandoned national service in Lagos ad evidence show and took up his new job, and went ahead to procure an NYSC discharge certificate for personal reasons of convenience. Otherwise, where did the said certificate emanate from?

“Without any bias or prejudice, it is apparent that Governor Peter Mbah might have participated in the NYSC program but failed to complete the full term, absconding to assume the role of Chief of Staff. This revelation, in and of itself, settles any lingering doubts or alternative narratives. Authentic available records before us indicate that if Mr. Peter Mbah had completed his NYSC and not absconded, he would have been issued with a certificate bearing registration number: A673517 and not the purported certificate with number A808297 the Gov is parading. He simply absconded and there’s no way anybody can change the facts.

“The presentation made by the Department of State Security Services (DSS)on the subject matter is immaterial and does not change the facts and glaring evidence on the ground which remain unchallenged.”

The group, therefore, urged Nigerians not to be deceived or misled by any attempts to obfuscate the truth.

The statement added: “We demand that Governor Peter Mbah must come clean and disclose the source of the counterfeit NYSC certificate with the registration number A808297, as it certainly did not originate from the scheme. Any other evidence or presentations brought forth are irrelevant when it comes to the authenticity of this certificate.

“It is important we support our institutions and build a culture of excellence in the upcoming generations than play politics with sensitive issues. NYSC as an agency has been impeccable in the discharge of its duties since inception with a dependable culture of record keeping. Mbah has questions to answer and he must not try to hoodwink Nigerians using the courts and other means within his reach. Gov Mbah couldn’t have been serving at Udeh and Associates as a corp member in Lagos and still be Chief of Staff in Enugu State between July 14 and September within the same 2003. Where was he between May and September 2003 ? Did he not same duty as Chief of Staff in July before September 2003 when his service year would have elapsed?”