Deyemi Saka, a communication consultant with Lambert and Curtis Nigeria Limited, on behalf of Bello Muhammed Matawalle, executive governor of Zamfara State has said that a certificate forgery case against him, is an act of distraction.
He described it as the handiwork of detractors and opposition not pleased with the achievements being recorded by the state.
Saka said anybody doubting the credibility of the governor’s result can approach the examination board for confirmation or take legal action.
The letter reads; "Our attention has been drawn to the malicious publication accusing our client, Bello Muhammed Matawalle, the executive governor of Zamfara State of certificate forgery.
"This is an act of distraction, a handiwork of detractors and opposition not pleased with the achievements being recorded by the state.
"In the said publication, our client was accused of forging a National Examination Council (NECO) by Tanimu Salihu Mafara, Chairman of the Zamfara Alternative Forum.
"Anybody doubting the credibility of the result can approach the examination board for confirmation or take legal action.
"The writer's ignorance of the legal basis is evident as information sworn on affidavit automatically becomes valid and nullifies any other information preceding it.
“The school registered on INEC is VTC Bunza and the NECO was only a complementary re-sit for grades which can be done by anyone at any time in-line with the two sittings policy.
"Regarding who should be a NECO candidate, it is a prerogative of the exam body and school to determine who a candidate should be and this has nothing to do with any law or act of the federation.
"This implies that the date of birth on NECO or any other document is covered by the latest affidavit done on the subject matter.
“All documents with the examination body and with the election body are backed up by legal affidavit, and this affidavit confirms the authenticity of the documents.
“If the anonymous writer and his sponsors have admissible facts, they would not be on the media, I believed the publication is a malicious campaign of calumny."
The media consultant and public relations firm urged the public and residents of the state to disregard the accusation, adding that its client and his government will continue in its stride to ensure the state is safe for all residents.
“It is another election cycle and one should not be surprised by such unfounded allegations flying around in the media to divert attention from the success recorded by this administration.
“The people of the state should not be moved by such accusation but should focus on what the government is doing to ensure the state remains peaceful and continue to grow economically," the letter added.
In an earlier publication, Tanimu Salihu Mafara, the Chairman of the Zamfara Alternative Forum earlier alleged certificate forgery by Matawalle.
Governor Matawalle was said to have sat the June/July 2018 National Examination Council (NECO) examination with four of his female children: Bello Aisha Matawalle, Bello Kausar Matawalle, Bello Yuhanasu Matawalle, and Bello Zainab Matawalle at Universal Academy in Kaduna state.
According to Tanimu, it is the height of perjury.
He wrote, "As a way of opening a can of worms, let’s probe into the key claims in Governor Matawalle’s certificate conundrum to see if the facts correspond. Governor Matawalle presented to INEC for the 2015 and 2019 elections a technical certificate by the Ministry of Education, Sokoto state division of Science and Technical Education Vocational Training Centre, Bunza. It is visibly indicated in the result issued in 1985 that Bello Muhammed, with exam number 005, was born on the 29th of February 1962.
"In a statutory declaration of age filled by Governor Matawalle’s uncle; Alhaji Bala S/Kaya Maradun sincerely and solemnly attested that Bello Mohammed was born at Maradun in Maradun district in Zamfara State, on the 12th day of February 1962. The document was duly signed and stamped by the high court in Zamfara state on the 11th of May 2022.