But reacting, Suleiman Ahmed, Senior Special Adviser on Political and Ideology to Senator Shehu Sani, described the forgery allegation as “a mere ploy by ‘riff raffs’ sponsored by Governor Nasir el-Rufai targeted at shutting him down from his constant criticism aimed at improving the lot of the majority of Kaduna citizens.”
According to the Kaduna Forum, “Shehu Sani’s continued stay in the Senate is not just an insult to the very sophisticated people of our Senatorial zone in Kaduna State but an injustice to the constituents who voted him based on false and fabricated credentials he tendered to our leaders, party leaders and INEC.
“We are committed to redressing this injustice that has been done to our people by doing all that is within our powers, that is proper and legal to ensure that Mr. Sani leaves the Senate to pave way for a fit, proper and qualified person from Kaduna Central to go to Senate to give us quality and efficient representation,” the group said, in the statement read by its secretary, Alhaji Aminu Sha’aibu.
The group explained that they are determined to follow the rule of law in their bid to oust Sani, using certificates he submitted to INEC,APC and CPC in the nomination and affidavit forms for Kaduna Central Senatorial election in 2010/2011 and 2015.
“Our petition centres on the fact that as at the time the 2015 Senatorial election was conducted by INEC, Mr. Shehu Sani was not qualified to vie for the position given that he lied on oath to the commission about his academic qualification and falsified documents in bid to sustain the lies and false claims in the nomination form and affidavit he submitted to INEC,” the group said.
The group faulted his time of stay in Kaduna Polytechnic, which they said according to records available to them showed that he was admitted with registration number CST/84/1791 in 1984 for a diploma, but wondered why he graduated from what was expected to be a two-year programme after five years.
Speaking further, the Senator’s Aide, said “Shehu Sani would not succumb to any threat he would continue to advocate for good governance. Recently, he drew the attention of the state government to the hardship the demolition of a market within the metropolis would cause.
“Shehu Sani is an activist not a politician. They are only trying to stop him from criticizing the government. They can never stop him from constructive criticism that will transform to development at the state and the national level,” he said.
Ahmed explained that another faceless group sponsored by the Kaduna Government had earlier taken the same case to court alleging certificate scam but it was thrown out because it lacked merit.
On the allegation that Shehu Sani did his compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at the age of 43, his aide admitted that it was true, but explained that as at the time he graduated, he was eligible for service but was sentenced to life imprisonment, and could only go for service after he was released from prison.
On whether the Senator would be willing to cooperate with the Senate if the decide to probe his certificates, Ahmed explained that as a law abiding citizen, he would always cooperate with all the laws of the country.
