The Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Prof. Abraham Garba, yesterday told the Senate committee on ethics and privileges that the Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, graduated as Daniel Jonah Melaye from the university.
Garba who appeared before the committee’s investigative hearing absolved Melaye, who is also chairman of Senate committee on FCT, of certificate forgery allegation levelled against him.
Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, had last Tuesday raised a motion drawing attention of the Red Chamber to media reports on Melaye’s certificate scandal on the ground that the matter had made the Senate subject of public ridicule.
Consequently, the Senate directed its ethics and privileges committee to investigate Melaye over the allegation that he forged the Ahmadu Bello University certificate.
But clearing the Senator of the forgery allegation, Prof Garba said, “From records, Mr. Melaye, formerly known as Daniel Jonah Melaye graduated from ABU with Third Class BA Geography in 2000”.
At the hearing, Mr. Melaye explained that, while his father’s real name is Jonah, he later swore to an affidavit before a competent court of jurisdiction to change his official name from “Daniel Jonah Melaye” to “Dino Melaye”.
Stating that he was ready to tender the affidavit backing the change of name, Melaye tendered available documents, including the admission letter he received from ABU, his acceptance of offer, statement of result and final year project before the probe committee.
When asked by Senator Matthew Urhoghide (APC-Edo), for his original degree certificate, Melaye said he was yet to collect it from the school.
The lawmaker said he served the compulsory one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme at the Police College in Kaduna State where he earned an award for meritorious service.
He tendered his NYSC discharge certificate which, according to Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP-Delta), showed Melaye served between July 9, 2000 and July 8, 2001.
The architect of the investigation, Ndume, who also testified under oath as the petitioner said he was satisfied with the outcome of the probe and that he believed Melaye indeed graduated from the school.
“There is no big deal”, Ndume said, explaining that he only relied on what was published by the media and the purpose of coming under Order 14 and 15 of the Senate Rules to raise the motion was to preserve Senate’s integrity, which he said has been achieved.