The lingering controversy surrounding the alleged forgery of a West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate by a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Rita Odichinma Orji, has resurfaced following concerns raised by the petitioner, Mr. Uche David Esomonu, over the slow progress of investigations.
Hon. Orji, who represented Ajeromi–Ifelodun Federal Constituency of Lagos State between 2015 and 2019 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was arrested by the Nigeria Police on Sunday, November 24, 2024. Her arrest stemmed from allegations that she presented a forged WAEC certificate during her tenure in the Green Chamber. After making an initial statement, little has been heard of the matter, leading to speculation that the case may have been deliberately stalled.
Speaking on Thursday, Mr. Esomonu expressed shock that, despite what he described as “overwhelming evidence” against the former lawmaker, the case appears to have been swept under the carpet. He accused the police of selective justice and called for renewed action to restore public confidence in the institution.
“I wonder why this case has been swept aside despite clear evidence. The Nigerian Police must restore their dignity by reopening the case file and pursuing it to its logical conclusion. I will not relent until justice is served,” Esomonu stated.
It will be recalled that a High Court sitting in Apo, Abuja, had earlier ruled that Hon. Orji has a case to answer. Delivering judgment, Justice Kawu Bello held that the Nigeria Police Force is constitutionally empowered to investigate petitions brought before it, in line with Section 200 of the Constitution. The court consequently dismissed Orji’s attempt to halt police investigation and ordered her to make herself available for questioning.
The petitioner noted that, while the police had swiftly handled other cases involving certificate forgery and impersonation, the Orji matter had curiously stagnated. He cited the recent case of one Engineer Chukwubuike Azubuike, who allegedly paraded himself falsely as the “Obi of Lagos” while attempting to defraud unsuspecting members of the public of N1.5 billion under the guise of building a palace and hosting a new yam festival. Esomonu argued that if such cases could receive prompt attention, the matter against Hon. Orji should not be treated differently.
Court records indicate that Orji, upon being petitioned, initially resisted police invitations for interrogation. Instead, she approached the High Court seeking an order to restrain the police from investigating her, citing the need to protect her fundamental human rights. However, the court dismissed her suit and directed her to cooperate with law enforcement.
Despite these legal pronouncements, the petitioner insists that no meaningful progress has been made since her arrest. He warned that silence on the matter could encourage impunity and erode trust in Nigeria’s justice system.
As the controversy lingers, public interest in the case remains high, particularly within Ajeromi–Ifelodun, where Hon. Orji once wielded significant political influence and even contested again in the last general elections. Stakeholders are watching closely to see whether the police will revive the investigation or allow the matter to fade into obscurity.
