Court to deliver judgement on Governor Obaseki’s alleged certificate forgery suit

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital will deliver judgement on a suit filed by the All Progressive Congress, APC in Edo state, against the Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Godwin Obaseki on January 9, 2021.

In the suit, the APC alleged that the degree certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Nigeria’s electoral umpire to contest the 2020 governorship by the PDP’s candidate, Mr. Godwin Obaseki was forged.

It would be recalled that Mr. Obaseki won the election under the platform of the PDP, while the APC with its governorship candidate, Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu came second.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to disqualify Mr. Obaseki and his party, the PDP from the poll, in the event that Obaseki was found to have forged his university certificate obtained from the University of Ibadan in 1979.

In adopting his written address, Counsel to Mr. Obaseki, Ken Mozia, urged the court to dismiss the case of the plaintiffs on the grounds that they could not prove the allegation leveled against his client.

On his part, Counsel to the PDP, Rasaq Isenalumhe asked the court to dismiss APC’s suit for being incompetent and lacking in merit.

Counsel to the INEC, Mohammed Bawa informed the court that the electoral umpire is neutral in the case hence did not file any process.

Emmanuel Ukoh