Prof Joseph Utsev: Controversy over ministerial nominee’s academic records

Controversy over Ministerial Nominee Prof Joseph Utsev’s Academic Records

A ministerial nominee, Prof Joseph Utsev, has sparked controversy in the Senate over the age he claimed to have started primary school. According to his Curriculum Vitae, Prof Utsev stated that he began primary school at the age of three.

Senator Mikhail Abiru drew attention to this fact during the Senate session, pointing out that the nominee’s CV indicated that he was born in 1980, started primary school in 1984, and completed his primary education in 1989.

In response, Prof Utsev maintained that he was indeed born in 1980 and graduated with a First Leaving School Certificate in 1989. However, Senator Abiru expressed concerns about the discrepancies in the academic records.

Senator Abba Moro appealed to his colleagues to overlook the inconsistencies, suggesting that they might have been the result of typographical errors. He urged them to give the nominee the benefit of the doubt.

On the other hand, Senator Titus Zam disagreed with Moro’s stance, asserting that there were no discrepancies in the academic records of the nominee.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio intervened and stated that he would not entertain any further questions concerning the date on the nominee’s academic records after Abba Moro approached him.