Edo Lawmaker Gives NDDC Official 7-Day Ultimatum Over Allegations

A fresh legal dispute has erupted between a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Billy Famous Adesuwa Osawaru, and Edo State representative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Patrick Asowieren, over allegations of certificate forgery and false representation.

Osawaru, through his legal counsel, on Friday demanded immediate retraction and public apology, describing statements allegedly made by Asowieren as defamatory, malicious and damaging to his reputation.

The allegations, said to have been made at Igbanke in Orhionmwon local government area of Edo State on April 6, 2026, accused the lawmaker of having been rusticated from the University of Benin, lacking academic qualifications and engaging in practices unbecoming of a public official.

However, a statement signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Hannibal Uwaifo, counsel to Osawaru, dismissed the claims as “patently false, baseless and malicious,” insisting they were aimed at tarnishing the image of his client.

According to the statement, Osawaru holds a degree in Microbiology from the University of Benin, as well as postgraduate degrees in Business Administration (International Business) from Schiller International University and Argosy University in the United States.

The legal team further argued that contesting elections based on minimum legal qualifications does not invalidate the lawmaker’s academic credentials, stressing that such claims cannot justify what it described as libelous attacks on his person.

Uwaifo also cautioned against reliance on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a validating authority for academic qualifications.

He noted that the commission is not an educational institution, while giving Asowieren a seven-day ultimatum to retract the statements and issue a public apology or face legal action for defamation.