Foster Ogola

Foster Ogola (born 1961 in Bayelsa State, Nigeria) is a Nigerian politician.[1] He was the senator representing Bayelsa West senatorial district in the Nigerian Senate.[2] He was among the senators of the 8th republic of the National Assembly in Nigeria.[3][4]

Foster Ogola
Chairman Bayelsa State Scholarship Board
In office
2012–2015
PresidentMuhammadu Buhari
ConstituencyBayelsa West
Senator for Bayelsa West
In office
June 9, 2015 – June 9, 2019
Personal details
Born1961
Bayelsa State
CitizenshipNigerian
Political partyPeople's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
CommitteesDeputy Chairman House committee on ICT and CyberCrime

Personal life and education

Ogola was born and raised in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. He attended Esenaeb College, Bomadi and in 1977, he obtained an IJMB certificate from the college. He then moved forward to Rivers State School of Basic Studies where he obtained a Grade II Certificate in 1979. In 2005, he enrolled into the Imo State University where he studied Christian Leadership and in 2008 obtained an MSc in Christian Leadership. In 2008, he obtained a Diploma in Satellite Technology from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research in Geneva.

In 2010, Ogola also obtained a BSc in Management from the Nigerian College of Administration.

Career

Foster Ogola started his career as a high school teacher in Delta State, Nigeria. Prior to the 2015 election he was Chairman of the Bayelsa State Scholarship Board.[5][6] In 2015, Ogola ran for the position of the senate for Bayelsa West senatorial district and emerged as the winner under the People's Democratic Party.[7] On June 9, 2015 he was sworn in as Senator representing Bayelsa West.[8][9] He was subsequently appointed Vice Chairman of the ICT and Cybercrime committee in the senate.[10]

On October 2, 2018 he lost his re-election bid at the partys' primaries to his opponent. His tenure is dated to end on June 9, 2019.[11]

Scandal

On April 10, 2018 Ogola was involved in a certificate scandal where he had allegedly obtained a fake PhD degree from a non accredited university in Lagos, Nigeria. On March 26, 2018 an anonymous report was submitted to Leaks.ng a whistle blowing website that shares information with news partners across Nigeria, disclosing that Senator Foster Ogola has a fake PhD certificate from GMF Christian University which is an unaccredited university.[12][13]

The submitted report read "Sen. Foster Ogola has a fake PhD. His official profile on the NASS Website says he has a PhD from GMF Christian University. There is no official site for the university and it is not accredited by the NUC. There is also no research paper or thesis to his name online. Although he got the degree in 2012.”[14] Foster Ogala neither agreed or denied the allegations in his interview with journalists.[15][16]

References
  1. Published. "Senate hires cybercrime expert, probes banks, MMM". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  2. "Senate to reveal banks used for MMM » YNaija". YNaija. 2017-09-08. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  3. admin (2017-07-31). "Stakeholders Back Demutualisation of Nigerian Stock Exchange". THISDAYLIVE. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  4. Itodo, Yemi (2017-02-28). "Facebook lauds Saraki for opening up N'Assembly via platform". Daily Post Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  5. "The Chairman, Bayelsa State Scholarship Board, Mr. Foster Ogola (M), flanked by Professors Evelyn Poe (R), and Connie Lundy (L), of the Lincoln University, Pennsylvania, USA, addressing the Press on the proposed Scholarships to be awarded to deserving Bayelsa Students, as part of collaborations between the Lincoln University and the Bayelsa State Government, at the State Scholarship Board's office in Ekeki, Yenagoa". Pointblank News. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  6. "Nigeria: Bayelsa Scholarship Board Begins Students' Registration". All Africa.
  7. "Full List Of Newly-Elected Senate Members Of The National Assembly". LATEST NIGERIAN NEWS BREAKING HEADLINES NEWSPAPERS. 2015-04-04. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  8. Independent (2015-03-31). "PDP wins Bayelsa Central, West Senatorial Districts". Independent Newspapers Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  9. Ugonna, Chinenye (2015-03-27). "Top 8 Senators who'll miss National Assembly election". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  10. Published. "Senate hires cybercrime expert, probes banks, MMM". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  11. "Foster Ogola loses bid to return to Senate as Dickson's ally wins". Daily Trust. 2018-10-02. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  12. Adedigba, Azeezat (2018-05-24). "NUC releases names of 58 illegal universities in Nigeria (FULL LIST)". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  13. "PDP Senator caught in certificate scandal". www.pulse.ng. 2018-04-11. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  14. "INVESTIGATION: Nigerian Senator caught in certificate scandal". Premium Times Nigeria. 2018-04-10. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  15. "INVESTIGATION: Nigerian Senator caught in certificate scandal". Premium Times Nigeria. 2018-04-10. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
  16. Iroanusi, QueenEsther (2018-04-27). "NASS website retains senator's profile despite report of certificate scandal". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 2019-03-30.
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