Fresh crises have hit the African Democratic Congress in Enugu State as members dragged the factional chairman-elect, Mr Augustine Akubue, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for alleged impersonation.
The petitioners and concerned members of ADC in Enugu, in a petition submitted through their lawyer, T. M. Ozioko, Esq., of the Chambers of M.J. Teryma and Associates Legal Practitioners, Abuja, represented by Chika Idoko, former ADC Senatorial Candidate in the Enugu North senatorial district, asked the commission to investigate Akubue for parading himself as a professor without being a bonafide academic staff member of any recognized university in Nigeria or abroad.
The petition dated April 21, 2026, and copied to the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), was received and certified by the Office of the Chairman of ICPC on April 23, 2026.
It was titled, “Petition to Investigate Mr Augustine Akubue for False Claim of Professorial Status, Fictitious Inaugural Lecture, and Attempt to Mislead the Public.”
The petition read in part: “We are solicitors to the Concerned Members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) represented by Comrade Chika Idoko (hereinafter referred to as ‘Our Clients’), on whose instruction we write the petition. Our clients have briefed us, and we verily believe them, as follows:
“That one Mr Augustine Akubue (hereinafter referred to as “the Suspect”) has for some time publicly held himself out as “Professor Augustine Akubue”.
“ That upon diligent inquiry, our clients have verified that the suspect is not a bonafide academic staff member of any recognized university in Nigeria or abroad. He has never been appointed to the rank of professor (or any academic rank whatsoever) by the Governing Council of any tertiary institution.
The petitioners alleged that the suspect used the fabricated identity of “professor” and the fictional “inaugural lecture” as a calculated ploy to present himself as a credible authority in order to secure political office.
Evidence adduced in support of the petition includes a suspension notice from the suspect’s hometown association of professors; screenshots; audio or video recordings where the suspect referenced his “inaugural lecture” as proof of his academic standing.
According to the petitioners, the suspect is reasonably believed to have committed personation/impersonation, contrary to Section 484 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and forgery, contrary to Section 363 of the Criminal Code Act.
Consequently, the petitioners prayed the commission to investigate the suspect’s true educational qualifications and employment status and invite and interrogate the suspect regarding his claim of being a professor and the alleged inaugural lecture.
They also prayed the commission to liaise with the NUC to obtain the official certification of the suspect’s academic status or lack thereof and prosecute the suspect for impersonation and obtaining under false pretenses, if the evidence so warrants.
The petition is coming days after documentary evidence from court revealed that the Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, charged Akubue, a protégé of former Enugu State Governor Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, before an Enugu Magistrate Court in 2023 on a two-count charge of forgery.
This is amid the crisis the national leadership faces amid the multiplicity of factions.
DAILY POST reports that former Senate President David Mark, Nafiu Gombe, and others led by the party’s former presidential candidate of ADC, Dumebi Kachikwu, laid claim to the opposition party leadership.
Recall that the David Mark-led faction was derecognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court reserved its judgment in ADC’s leadership battle between David Mark and Nafiu Gombe.
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