A fresh controversy has emerged in Edo State following a petition by law students of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti alleging that the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru, SAN, may have been conferred with a professorship under questionable academic circumstances.
In the petition, the students reportedly questioned the legitimacy of Otaru’s academic qualifications, claiming that his elevation to the rank of Professor of Law did not follow established academic procedures. They argued that the requirements for such a promotion — including progression through the academic ladder, a record of teaching and research, postgraduate supervision, and verifiable scholarly publications — appeared to be absent.
The petition further raised concerns about the authenticity and academic weight of Otaru’s recently obtained PhD, which they described as originating from a little-known institution.
Describing the situation as “deeply troubling,” the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) criticized the state government for what it called a failure of due diligence in the appointment process. In a strongly worded statement issued in Benin City on Monday, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, alleged that the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo had once again exposed the state to avoidable embarrassment.
He faulted both the Governor and the Edo State House of Assembly for clearing commissioners without proper background checks, despite taking almost a year to form a cabinet. He argued that such oversights reflected administrative incompetence and undermined the state’s reputation for academic and intellectual excellence.
Osa-Ogbegie called for a transparent investigation into Otaru’s professorship and academic credentials. He urged the Governor to publicly address the allegations, and asked the House of Assembly to set up an independent committee to examine the claims, including the Attorney-General’s academic trajectory, publications, and teaching record.
He also appealed to the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Council of Legal Education (CLE) to conduct external verification and make their findings public.
According to him, if the allegations are unfounded, Otaru should be cleared before Nigerians. But if they are true, he said, Edo State should not retain an Attorney-General whose academic qualifications cannot withstand scrutiny.
The statement concluded with a warning that the matter must not be ignored, insisting that “integrity demands sunlight” and that Edo people “will not look away.”
