Opinion
Between Uwajeh’s calumny Senator Uba and law
By Kenneth Atavti
Recently, series of reports have been in circulation in both print and electronic media linking of a distinguish lawmaker in the Nigerian Red Chambers to a certificate scandal as well as the purported assassination plot.
Considering the reputation of the man involve, the reports have sparked controversy within the rank and files in the nation, and have caused many Nigerians who personally knows the pedigree and character of the lawmaker to question the authenticity of the reports.
In Nigeria today, we have seen Senator Andy Uba, a gentle man who have against all odds refused to dabble in campaign of calumny, vituperation, vendetta and animosity against anyone despite several attempt to drag his hard earned reputation to the mood by peddlers of lies in the likes of one Victor Osita Uwajeh.
It didn’t come as a surprise to many Nigerians when Senator (Dr.) Emmanuel Andy Uba, MFR, refuted and described as false and baseless, the publications sponsored by one Victor Osita Uwajeh through a faceless group known as Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum, ACIF, which was carried in both print and electronic media, namely Sahara Reporters, Vanguard, Leadership Newspapers, Naij.com, Blueprint Newspaper, The Cable News and Pulse News in the form of news reporting and paid advertorials where his name was been mentioned as one of the prominent Nigerians with certificate scandals.
Nigerian pilot law recalled that Victor Osita Uwajeh, the man behind the vilifying and damaging allegations has alleged that he was once engaged by Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba to lift an exclusion order baring Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba from traveling to the United Kingdom (U.K), and that it was in course of his efforts to get the U.K Border Agency and the office of Home Secretary to rescind the exclusion order that he discovered that Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba’s WAEC certificate is fake.
The Senator in a statement by his aide, Chike Okeke, said “We want to state in categorical terms that these allegations are unfounded, false, misleading, and are refuted and denied by Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba.
“Contrary to Mr. Victor Osita Uwajeh’s vilifying claims, he was never at any time or event engaged or authorized by Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba to deal with anybody or government agency in the UK and US on his behalf. The Distinguished Senator and his family are seriously embarrassed and outraged at these false and injurious publications against his academic qualifications.”
Also in one one of such cheap and sullying campaigns, particularly in the Sahara Reporters online news of 7th March, 2018 under the banner headline “How IGP Is Shielding Andy Uba From Prosecution For Certification Forgery, Extortion”, ACIF alleged that the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID) is protecting the Distinguished Senator from being arrested and prosecuted for Certificate forgery extortion as well as intimidation.
The same publication also alleged that some unknown persons that possibly assessed Victor Uwajeh’s personal phone numbers from a published petition against him to the IGP by Senator Andy Uba have been calling to warn him to ‘back off or get killed’.
The statement noted that in another vain attempt to raise false alarm and tarnish the image and reputation of Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba, in what appeared like a sponsored news on Pulse News under the headline “Investigator Writes Buhari, Accuses APC Senator of trying to kill him”, Victor Osita Uwajeh claimed that Senator Andy Uba has made several attempts to assassinate him.
Uwajeh alleged that the threat over his life was coming from the Distinguished Senator because of the case he instituted against the Senator at the High Court of FCT for the recovery of his professional fees.
Okeke said that the Distinguished Senator’s attention has also been drawn to another online news report published on or about the 8th of March, 2018 by one Nnenna Ibeh on Naij.com, with the headline “Certificate Forgery” Trouble For APC Senator as court grants order seeking his arrest”, when in actual fact, the Federal High Court merely granted Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (ACIF) an ex parte application for leave to use mandamus to get the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to investigate its complaint against the Senator.
He decried that although the substantive mandamus has not been heard nor granted by the trial court, Victor Uwajeh still compromised and made the Reporter to twist the news under a wrong banner headline that portrayed the Distinguished Senator to the public as a criminal whose arrest has already been ordered by court.
While describing the act by the reporters as not only been “unethical in journalism but wicked and reprehensible news reporting” he said that the Blueprint Online Newspaper equally reported the same proceedings of Federal High Court, Abuja in the above case of FHC/ABJ/CS/175/2018 between Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (ACIF) vs. Inspector General of Police & Anor in a distorted and jaundiced in 10th March, 2018 under a banner headline “Certificate forgery: Court grants order to arrest, prosecute Andy Ubah”.
“It was deliberately reported in this manner in order to defame Senator Andy Uba as a criminal to the general public.” Okeke said.
Again, last year, the same Victor Osita Uwajeh sponsored a libelous advertorial through an association, known as Equity and Fairness Advocates on page 37 of Leadership Newspaper of Monday, 10th April, 2017 under the banner headline; OPEN PETITION TO THE EFCC AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY TO INVESTIGATED ALLEGED CERTIFICATE FORGERY BY SENATOR EMMANUEL NNAMDI (ANDY) UBA”.
In the said publication which was sponsored by Victor Uwajeh, through another group known as Equity and Fairness Advocates, they alleged that Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba had presented forged WAEC Certificate to the UK Border Agency which turned out to be fake investigation carried out by the Public Agencies.
They therefore called on the EFCC and the National Assembly to investigate Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba’s academic credentials.
It is worthy of note that Uwajeh’s blackmail and campaign of injurious falsehood about the WAEC certificate of Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba was targeted at ripping the Senator of his overwhelming support he enjoys from his people after he declared his intention to contest for the Governorship position of Anambra State in the last gubernatorial election held in 2017.
Speaking further, Okeke noted that as peace loving people, despite the news conference organized by Mr. Uwajeh on 11th and 12th of April, 2017, in Abuja where he appeared with copies of some documents, alleging them to be forged WAEC Certificates belonging to Emmanuel Andy does not have a genuine WAEC Certificate and dared the Police and other security agencies to arrest him the Senator regarded him then as a distraction and ignored all his shenanigans.
“However, it has become necessary to rebut these bunch of falsehood and confront Mr. Victor Uwajeh by all civil and lawful means. For purposes of rebuttal and clarifying these allegations, Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba was a Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo between 1999-2007.
He was also a former Governor of Anambra State.
He is presently serving as a two-time Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District. He has served this nation creditably; and he still willing to serve in whatever capacity that God entrusts him with.
“For the avoidance of doubt, in all Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba’s private and political career, he has consistently used the WAEC certificate he obtained from Union Secondary School, Awkunanaw, Enugu in 1974 with Examination No: 05465/089; his Degree Certificate from California State University, Los Angeles for the award of Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Urban Analysis; and his certificate of award of Honourable Doctorate Degree in Public Administration from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
These are the certificates he used in his INEC Form CF 001 with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) submitted in the 2007, 2010, 2011 re-run and 2015 general elections. Being public documents, they are open to the general public for verification.
” We are not aware of any probe, allegation or litigation relating to his very well-known academic qualification. Luckily, many of Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba’s classmates from primary school through the university are still alive and are traceable.
” Therefore, the purported WAEC Certificate with Certificate No: SC 544753 issued in 1974 to one Uba Emmanuel Nnamdi does not belongdd to Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba and did not emanate from him. Perhaps, it was forged and/or prepared by Victor Osita Uwajeh in order to not only blackmail and extort money from him, but to also reduce the public estimation of Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba by portraying him as a person of unworthy character. He has continued to ceaselessly disparage the academic qualification of the Distinguished Senator without caution.
“Recently, Mr. Victor Osita Uwajeh also alleged in the news that report of various print and electronic media that the Distinguished Senator has made attempts to assassinate, poison or intimidate him. This disparaging news came as a huge associates and well-wishers. In fact, many of them called and confronted him with the news report. It is in fact, a joke taken too far and the Distinguished Senator is not taking them lightly. The allegations are false, unfounded and wicked.
“As a distinguished Nigerian citizen, a Christian and firm believer in the rule of law, Senator Andy Uba has done the most civilized thing under the law by petitioning relevant security agencies, including the Inspector General of Police.
He will never nurture the thought of hurting anyone, let alone assassinating any human being. Besides, given his firm belief in our judicial system and the rule of law, he has instituted a cross-action against Victor Uwajeh by filing hi Defence and Counter-Claim in a civil matter instituted by Mr. Uwajeh at the High Court of Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in SUIT NO. FCT/ABJ/CV/2063/16 between Evangelist Victor Uwajeh V. Senator Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba.
“Sequel to a petition by Senator Andy Uba to the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security agencies, the police investigated Mr. Victor Osita Uwajeh and subsequently arraigned him.
He has been charged with various offences relating to forgery and falsification of documents under the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/148/2017 between Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Victor Osita Uwajeh.
“The Distinguished Senator is determined to take necessary legal actions against all the disparaging and libelous publications about his person and reputation by Victor Osita Uwajeh and some media establishments.
He has instructed his Attorneys to write Victor Osita Uwajeh and all the print and media platforms that published these defamatory materials. As a matter of fact, he is seriously contemplating for damages, retraction and apology.” He said
Okeke has therefore advise media organizations, particularly the Sahara Reporters, Naij.com and their co-travellers to always cross-check their facts and engage in investigative journalism. “Media establishments and journalists should avoid being used by vested interest or falling for the convenient choice of publishing false or twisted information for cheap financial benefits or in order to attract negative publicity stunt and patronage.”
With all the taking place, it is worthy of note that with the antecedence of Senator Andy Uba not even a thousand Uwajeh can rob him of his reputation because he is not just a leader with good intentions for the people but one that matches it with effective control of situation.
End
Opinion
OF GOVERNANCE AND THE ZULUMFICATION OF GOVERNANCE IN BORNO: RANDOM MUSSINGS ON GOV. ZULUM’S 3RD YEAR 2ND STANZA.
By: Inuwa Bwala. inuwabwala3@gmail.com
By the time I put down my pen, the media space would have been awash with narratives about the achievements of Mr President and governors, as a mark of celeberation of their third year in office.
I will not bother chronicling what will be told of their achievements, rather I want to look into the curious magic wand that made my own governor to stand differently tall.
One will not find the definition of title coinage for this piece in any conventional English lexicon, but no Nigerian will claim ignorance of what it signifies in our present governance discourse.
Many words have today been personified after certain people, who popularize an idiosyncritic mannerism.
And so, in Borno’s 15-year war against insurgency, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum seem to have chosen an unconventional playbook: governance style, reminisceint of an emergency doctor, not a distant administrator, which led to above coinage.
Three idiosyncrasies define his second term in particular, and the gains are showing on the ground to the effect that, these idiosyncracies gave rise to the coinage: Zulumfication.
Zulum’s trademark has been his unannounced visits; 2am checks on General Hospitals, surprise trips to IDP camps in Monguno, Baga, Damboa and others. Sudden stops on bad roads in Gwoza and unsheduled night overs in dangerous localities, as his routine.
He inspects projects with torchlight and asks hard questions: sometimes sacking absentee staff on the spot.
And the gains have added speed and discipline to government Contracts and civil servants.
They promptly deliver, knowing Zulum could appear any day any time.
This obviously explains how, 238 projects got completed in year one of his second term and 1,195 projects in five years. That urgency earned Governor Babagana Umara Zulum the Nigeria Union of Journalist’s Good Governance Award on Education in 2023.
And while Borno spent about N100bn on security in 2025, Zulum kept prioritizing people, with N727m going to 28,801 tertiary students. N1.5bn covered nursing students’ fees, besides the cash support reacheming 343,293 women.
His logic, has been that, “Education is the real antidote for insurgency. The payoff is human recovery.
Records indicate that, over 1,000 teachers were recruited, 150+ schools rebuilt, and the 104 Mega School Initiative launched. And so, when President Tinubu commissioned three mega schools in Maiduguri in 2026, he called them “tangible evidence of effective governance.” Kids who once hawked on Maiduguri streets are back in class because opportunity replaced despair.
Again, Zulum is known to have zero tolerance for waste. He has queried commissioners live on TV, sacked ghost workers, and confronted contractors who abandoned sites. It nay be uncomfortable in politics, but it works. Borno scored 89.7/100 on the 2025 Governance Accountability & Transparency Index, up from 86.3 in 2024, ranking among Nigeria’s top 10. Ministries now expect scrutiny, and leakages have shrunk.
Zulum blends this with reconstruction plus reconciliation. While 20,000+ resettlement homes house over 1 million returned IDPs, his “Borno Model” has convinced 200,000+ fighters and families to surrender and got reintegrated. Markets in Bama, Dikwa and Gwoza are reopening. Roads are being rebuilt, though insecurity still stalls some projects in southern Borno.
He remains low-profiled but with very high-output, avoiding political noise and letting the work speak. The Muslim News Nigeria honored him with its 2025 Transformational Leadership Award for “courage, accountability, compassion.”
Perfection is not claimed. Pockets of violence persist, and security costs strain finances, but Zulum’s style proves a point
In a crisis situation, presence builds trust, empathy rebuilds people, and accountability restores institutions. Borno is moving from “state of emergency” to “state of reconstruction” — one unannounced visit produces uncommon results.
Thiese in my opinion are amingst the exceptional things governor Babagana Umara has done, which have given rise to his national acclaim as an outstanding performer.
Opinion
Aondoakaa, a Leader Who Opens Doors: My Personal Story of Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN
By Iorwuese Tyopev, PhD
Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, is, in my experience, a transformational leader, and I can personally testify to this from years of direct engagement with him.
Although I initially knew him only casually as an elder brother from Ushongo, our relationship deepened when I approached him to patronise the business I managed as a hotel manager in Abuja. From that point, Siman Suites in Garki became his preferred accommodation whenever he was in the Federal Capital Territory.
Each time he was travelling to Abuja, his usual call would come: “Tyopev, my brother, please keep a room for me, I’m on my way.”
A defining moment in 2006
One of the most memorable moments in our relationship came in 2006 when he was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). For his swearing-in ceremony at the Supreme Court, he booked almost the entire hotel for family, friends, and well-wishers who travelled from far and near to celebrate with him.
Beyond the business value, his consistent patronage strengthened my professional standing at the time and positively influenced my performance evaluation at work.
Continued relationship in public service
Our relationship continued after his appointment as Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in July 2007 under the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Coincidentally, around the same period, my late boss, Senator J.I. Akaagerger, was elected into office and invited me to serve as his Senior Legislative Aide at the National Assembly. Chief Aondoakaa also expressed interest in bringing me into the Ministry of Justice as an aide. Although I chose to remain with my principal at the National Assembly, he respected my decision and maintained a cordial, brotherly relationship with me.
Prison decongestion intervention
Shortly after assuming office as Minister, he launched a prison decongestion initiative. In September 2007, I submitted an application requesting allocation of prison decongestion cases. He immediately asked whether I had legal representation, and upon confirmation, he promptly assigned several cases to me.
That support continued throughout his tenure until 2010.
Career support and mentorship
By mid-2008, I expressed dissatisfaction with my role at the National Assembly. He advised patience and assured me of better opportunities.
True to his word, in January 2009, he informed me of an opportunity with Dr Paul Orhii, then Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), who agreed to engage me as Special Assistant.
Although I resumed duty, I was later informed—within 30 days—that my services were no longer required due to a change in preference. Chief Aondoakaa was abroad at the time, but upon his return, he reassured me, saying: “Don’t worry, another opportunity will come.”
New opportunity at NAPTIP
Shortly after, I was invited to his residence in Apo, where I met Barr. Simon Chuzi Egede, MON, who had just been appointed Executive Secretary of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
There, I was informed that I would serve as Special Assistant to the new Executive Secretary.
In a remarkable turn of events, I received my appointment letter the next day as Special Assistant at Grade Level 16 Step 5, along with an official vehicle and chauffeur. I was also integrated into top management committees and exposed to both national and international engagements.
End of an era and lasting gratitude
Following the death of President Yar’Adua in 2010 and subsequent political changes, Chief Aondoakaa left office as Minister, which also affected my position at NAPTIP due to its political nature.
Looking back, I remain deeply grateful to Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa, SAN, for his loyalty, mentorship, and willingness to uplift others.
Some leaders inspire with words; others transform lives through action. Chief Aondoakaa, in my experience, belongs firmly to the latter category.
NB: This is Part 1 of a series of reflections on my personal experience with MKA, highlighting his mentorship and support to those around him, shared in anticipation of his birthday on June 12.
The Odua People’s Assembly (OPA) has come out in defense of National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu, condemning recent remarks by retired Nigerian Army General Ishola Williams calling for Ribadu’s removal.
In a statement issued by OPA Chairman Richard Olatunji Kayode, the group described Williams’ comments, made during a Channels Television interview on March 15, 2026, as “irresponsible and counterproductive,” arguing that they lacked factual basis and risked undermining efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges.
“His assertions lack factual support and are driven more by emotional manipulation than by evidence-based reasoning,” Kayode said. “Such rhetoric contributes to a culture of ‘permanent pessimism’ that undermines the morale of our security forces and the integrity of our national institutions.”
Kayode emphasized that irresponsible criticism, unlike constructive feedback, damages reputations, fosters mistrust, and distracts from meaningful solutions.
He urged that public discourse focus on actionable measures rather than unsubstantiated accusations.
The OPA highlighted Ribadu’s proactive initiatives, including the National Forest Guard programme, as well as his record as former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), where he gained recognition for anti-corruption efforts.
“Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Ribadu has been recognized for his effectiveness in combating banditry and terrorism. His ability to coordinate security forces and solve criminal cases demonstrates his competence and dedication to public safety,” Kayode said.
The group called on influential Nigerians to engage in responsible and constructive dialogue on national security issues, urging Williams to reconsider his position and contribute to solutions rather than criticism.
“Our collective responsibility is to foster an environment of trust, collaboration, and constructive criticism, ensuring that our security forces are equipped and supported to protect our great nation,” Kayode concluded.
OF GOVERNANCE AND THE ZULUMFICATION OF GOVERNANCE IN BORNO: RANDOM MUSSINGS ON GOV. ZULUM’S 3RD YEAR 2ND STANZA.
HON. JA’AFARU YAKUBU HONOURED WITH DOUBLE TRADITIONAL TITLES OF CHIROMAN GASSOL AND MARAFAN BAKUNDI BALI
EID-EL-KABIR: BELLO BABAYO BELLO COMMENDS TINUBU, SHETTIMA, GOMBE GOVERNOR AS HE FELICITATES WITH MUSLIMS NATIONWIDE
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