Certificate Forgery: Nasarawa PDP Engage 12 Lawyers, Directs NASIEC To Disqualify APC Candidates

Rabiu Omaku

The High Court sitting in Lafia has directed the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission to instantly issue a certificate of return to the Chairmanship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party and his Deputy respectively.

 

The lead Counsel, The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ola Olanipekun in a writ of summons directed the State electoral umpire not to hesitate to issue a certificate of return to the candidates of the PDP.

 

The writ of summons followed a petition written by the candidates of the opposition political party, The PDP over certificate forgery, The court directed the 4th respondent which is NASEIC to produce the original certificate of the embattled Chairmanship candidate, Dr. Usman Umar of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

 

Other Counsels in the Suit are Lagi Innocent Esq, Baba Ayiwulu Esq,Y.M Ede, Isaac Akpomoshi, U.S Oguajamma,Enna Benjamin,Anthony Cyril,A.G Aka

 

The High Court averred that Honorable Dr.Usman Umar and his running mate, Honorable Dauda Salihu Mayaki be disqualified from contesting over certificate forgery ranging from false signature dictated in his documents.

 

Other sins of the Chairmanship candidate include the use of the wrong stamp, the said Chairmanship candidate claimed to graduate from Government Teachers College,Zawan, having conflicting years of graduation.

 

The plaintiff said Dr.Usman falsified his certificate, That is instead of a Grade ii certificate for graduating from G.C Zawan he presented a Senior School Certificate of Examination as a product of Government College, Zawan.

 

Also that the Chairmanship candidate graduated in 1995 and subsequently in 1997.

 

The plaintiffs added that the name of the APC candidate was missing in the school register as well as guilty of false declaration of age from the registry of High Court.

 

That the Chairmanship candidate presented documents to NASIEC that he graduated from Government Secondary School, Azara in 1999.

 

The APC candidate when contacted on phone declined to comment, saying the matter is before a court of competent jurisdiction, for that he would not comment.

 

Barrister Wandai Ayuba Usman said he would not comment on the issue of certificate forgery because the matter is before the court.

 

NASIEC Chairman disclosed this during a one-day workshop organized by the European Union, Centre for Good Governance, a workshop held at the Ministry for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs.