Taraba senator faces APC challenge over alleged fake NECO certificate

David Jimkuta, the senator for Taraba South, is facing a petition that wants him disqualified from the 2027 senatorial election. The petition claims he submitted fake National Examinations Council (NECO) certificates to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The petition was filed by Adamu Ibrahim, a retired major general who lost to Mr Jimkuta in the APC senatorial primary.

Dated September 21 and sent to the APC national chairman, the petition accuses the senator of submitting fake exam certificates and providing false information in his nomination documents to the party and INEC.

Mr Ibrahim claims the documents were part of Mr Jimkuta’s declaration of interest and nomination forms to prove he was qualified to run for the 2027 election.

Mr Jimkuta is currently the senator representing the Taraba South District.

Meanwhile, former classmates from the 2000 graduating class of Government Secondary School (GSS) in Wukari have denied the claims about the senator’s secondary school credentials.

The former students said they returned to the school to check the records after hearing about the petition.

Haruna Magaji, a member of the class, confirmed that Mr Jimkuta’s name is listed as number 98 among the students who graduated in 2000.

“We went back to GSS to confirm what Gen. Ibrahim has alleged against the senator. We collected the gazette and did a thorough check. Senator David Jimkuta’s name is number 98 on our list,” Mr Magaji explained.

The classmates said Mr Jimkuta graduated with them in 2000 and they were the first set to take the NECO exam at their school.

The group included Zakaria Luka, Emmanuel Audu, Manasseh Wunuji, Haruna Magaji, and Habibu Isyaka, as reported in Jalingo.

While the alumni’s confirmation shows that Mr Jimkuta attended and graduated from GSS Wukari, it does not confirm if the specific NECO certificate he submitted to APC or INEC is real. That would need further checks with the school and examination records.

This controversy has led to calls for Mr Ibrahim to provide proof to back up his claims.

Obadiah Orobo, a supporter of Mr Jimkuta, challenged the retired general to show evidence for his allegations.

Mr Orobo stated that the proper authorities, including the school and NECO, should clarify the matter to avoid it becoming a political issue.

“If there is proof that Senator Jimkuta faked any certificate, let it be presented to the right authorities,” he said.

This dispute arises as Mr Jimkuta gets ready for the 2027 election after being named the APC candidate for Taraba South. INEC’s published list of candidates also shows him as the APC candidate for the senatorial district.