Kano Polytechnic Rector Clears Self of Certificate Forgery Scandal
The embattled Rector of the Kano Polytechnic who was accused of forging his PhD certificate, Professor Yusuf Al-Hassan Friday presented empirical evidence to clear the air over the controversy.
The American trained intellectual who hosted reporters in his office displayed original copies of his disputed credentials pointing out that “its up to you guys to scrutinize and tell the world your findings”.
A visitation panel set up by Kano state Government that was headed Professor AT Abdullahi came up with damming report last week that raised credibility question over the Rector’s academic laurel.
Professor Al Hassan stated that “left to me, I would have let go the controversy but the fact that the reputation of the state, the institution I serve is at stake compelled me to present the other side of the story”.
Professor Al-Hassan, who spent 30 years in the States studying and Teaching, was appointed Rector by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso eight months ago and stepped into murky water of controversy when he submitted photocopy of his credentials to the visitation panel who indicated in their report that Rector forged his certificate.
The panel also accused the Rector of allegedly violating rules in the award of contract and further request Government to investigate the state of finances of the institution.
The Professor of Philosophy from the University of Missouri, United State of America, explained that he was shocked while he was resting on his holidays in America when Friends and family members drew his attention from the story coming from Nigeria.
The Rector admitted “it was true that when the panel visited my office, I gave them photocopies of all my credentials and explained to them that all the originals are in US, but to my shocking disbelieve I started receiving this information that I forged my certificate because I don’t have original to show’.
He however welcome the request of the panel for an inquest into the state of finances of the Institution, adding that “that would independently unravel the mystery”.
