How my father, Godswill Obioma died -NECO registrar’s son

The family of late registrar of National Examinations Council (NECO), Godswill Obioma has debunked reports that the exam body’s boss was assassinated.

In a statement shared with the management of NECO on Tuesday morning, the son of the late professor Prince Godswill Obioma the 2nd, said the examination body’s boss died Monday afternoon after a brief illness at the National Hospital in Abuja.

This was also confirmed by Mr Obioma’s personal assistant, Obinna Otumdi.

He said; “I am sure the family will address the public soon. My boss was ill, briefly, before nature took its course.”

He was said to have died at 66.

Sources at the examination body and relations of the late Mr Obioma told Premium Times that the deceased travelled from Abuja to Minna on Monday morning.

“But when he reached the city gate in Minna, he told his entourage that he would not be able to go to the office and went home with his security aides. The others, including his personal assistant, Otumdi, left for the office,” one of the sources said.

By 3 p.m, the NECO registrar called his personal assistant to say he was too tired and that he would not be able to be in the office.

“But by around 4 p.m., the police officials who were downstairs in his house called the PA to complain that their boss was yet to return downstairs. But the PA told them he already spoke to him and that he was fine. But around 5 p.m. when the PA returned home and went upstairs, he saw a lifeless body,” the source added.

The PA called in the security details immediately and they rushed Mr Obioma to an unnamed hospital in Minna where he was pronounced dead.

His body was also said to have been moved to the National Hospital in Abuja on Monday evening, where he was again confirmed dead.

The late NECO boss had been facing a tough time at the examination body, following allegations of mismanagement and corrupt practices.

Mr Obioma, a former executive secretary of the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), was the resident electoral commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ebonyi State before he was appointed NECO registrar in May 2020.

His appointment followed the removal of the former registrar of the examination body, Charles Nwakwe, over corruption allegations and poor management.

However, he too was soon accused of corruption and other illegalities by staff and board of the agency.

He was queried over various allegations including compromising “the sanctity and integrity of the examinations” being conducted by the body, especially the release of keys to the examination body’s vault where sensitive materials were kept, to his PA, Mr Otumdi.

Mr Otumdi’s parents were said to own a private school in Nasarawa State, and so was accused of compromising the examination papers’ security.

According to the report of the investigative panel set up by the examination body, which was obtained exclusively by this newspaper, Mr Obioma was also said to have attempted to release the sum of N1.8 billion to some contractors who the board had said should not be paid.

The board of the examination body had recommended his removal to the education minister, Adamu Adamu. The recommendation was subsequently forwarded to President Muhammadu Buhari for approval.

The Presidency was prepared to announce the deceased’s removal during the week before his death was reported on Tuesday morning.