The senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye’s first degree in Geography from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna, has become a subject of controversy.
An online medium, SaharaReporters, in a series of tweets on its Twitter handle, @SaharaReporters, on Monday claimed that Melaye did not graduate from ABU.
It further claimed that Melaye allegedly bribed his Head of Department, “who assisted him to forge his transcript.”
SaharaReporters claimed that “university teachers at the Geography Department of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria insist that @dino_melayo did not graduate, bribed his HOD/1.”
“Exams Officers at ABU, Zaria insist that @dino_melaye never graduated from Geography Department, they said Dino’s name was not on the graduation list.
“Exam officers stated that @dino_melaye failed GENS 201, GEOG 307 (Long Field Trip Course), GEOG 404, GEOG 411 and GEOG 426.
“At least 3 Exam Officers at ABU, Zaria insist that @dino_melaye never graduated from Geography Dept, DG DSS alerted but covered it up.
“@dino_melaye didn’t graduate from ABU, he applied for a PG programme at UNIJOS, he came to ABU for transcript, none could be provided/1.
“Exam officers, speaking on @dino_melaye’s academic scandal, said his HOD, …, assisted him to forge his transcript.
“@DinoMelaye went ahead to do a PG at UNIJOS without any transcript from ABU, Geo Dept. couldn’t provide, despite pressure.”
However, Melaye brushed the allegations aside and dared the online medium to sue him and ABU if it had authentic evidence to back its claims.
Melaye said, in a series of tweets, on his Twitter handle, @dino_melaye, that he could not be cowed and would not be surprised even if Sahara Reporters wrote that he was not a Nigerian.
He tweeted, “Sahara Reporters, please sue me and ABU if it is true that I did not graduate from Zaria. Tell Magu to arrest me and prosecute me.
“SR, you and your fake documents. I’m presently a student of ABU pursuing my 7th degree. Go round all the UNIS (universities) I attended in digging more.”
“I can’t be cowed. Still waiting for SaharaReporters to indict me. What happened to the foreign account you reported I have. Na una go tire.”
“Will not be surprise if SaharaReporters say I’m not a Nigerian. Shame!
Meanwhile, the Information Officer, ABU, Mr. Adamu Mohammed, when contacted by one of our correspondents on Monday, said he had no facts at his disposals on whether or not Melaye graduated from the university.
Mohammed told the correspondent, who contacted him on the telephone, to give him up till (Tuesday) today, to check.
The ABU spokesman said, “Now that you have told me, I need to go and find out.
“I will have to go and find out the facts from the department. I don’t know.
“ABU has graduated several thousands of students over the years. Dino Melaye is just one student among thousands of the students. So, we have to find out. We have to go to the department to find out the truth about that.
“So, by tomorrow morning, I should be able to find out for you. All the administrative officers in that department must have left office by now. Tomorrow by 10am or 11am thereabouts, I should have got my facts.”
