The lawmaker representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Senator Ishaku Abbo, has revealed that he sat for the National Common Entrance Examination in primary three and passed because he was exceptionally brilliant.
Abbo made this revelation while speaking at the ongoing screening of ministerial nominees on the floor of the Senate on Monday.
The Adamawa lawmker spoke on the screening of the nominee from Benue State, Prof. Joseph Utsev over the age of the nominee when he finished primary school.
The lawmakers observed a seeming age disparity in Utsev’s certificate. The nominee in his certificate stated that he was born in 1980 and finished secondary school in 1989.
The Lagos lawmaker, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, spotted the error, stating that something must have been missing.
The Senator pointed out that according to his Curriculum Vitae, he was born in 1980 and started primary school three years after in 1984 and finished secondary school in 1989.
But, Abbo clarified that he had a similar personal experience to the Benue ministerial nominee.
The lawmaker said he sat and passed the common entrance examination when he was in primary three.
However, he did not disclose his age or year when he sat for the exams, as he claimed that he was exceptionally brilliant.
Abbo said, “First of all, our nominee from Benue State, you see some people don’t understand some basic things. To clear the air on the issue of you finishing primary school at the age of three.
Let me tell you a personal story. I sat for the common entrance examination when I was in primary three and I won because I was exceptionally brilliant. I passed, it is all the same; winning and passing is the same.
“So, the question of you entering primary school at the age of three did not arise but when did you finish and at what level did you sit for your common entrance examination.
“You may be like me – exceptionally brilliant – but we have clear the issue because we are on national television and I don’t want people to go home and think that your integrity has been called to question.”