Godwin Tsa, Abuja
An Abuja division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, struck out a suit seeking Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki’s disqualification from the poll on account of alleged certificate forgery.
The suit was by Edobor Williams, Ugesia Godwin and Amedu Anakhu, who joined the governors’ former party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Inspector General of Police and Obaseki himself.
Justice Anwuli Chikere struck out the suit as neither the plaintiffs’ lawyers nor the defendants were present in court.
The plaintiffs alleged in a suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/553/2020, that the University of Ibadan certificate which he attached to his Form CF.001 and submitted to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for his first term election in 2016 was forged.
They argued that the governor’s educational information contained in Part C of the Form CF 001 which he submitted to INEC on July 12, 2016 and the first degree certificate of Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies, said to have been obtained from the University of Ibadan, was forged.
The plaintiffs had argued that this was “contrary to the provisions of section 182(1)(i) of the 1999 Constitution.”
According to them, Obaseki was therefore “not qualified to run or seek the office of governor of Edo State on the platform of the 1st defendant (APC) in the governorship election scheduled to hold on September 19.”
Meanwhile, the House of Assembly. yesterday confirmed the nomination of Stewart Efe as a commissioner and member of the state executive council.
The House, after the screening of the nominee, declared him fit and educationally qualified to serve as a commissioner.
Efe was thereafter confirmed through a voice vote by the lawmakers.
Also, the House confirmed four non-ex-officio members of the state Judicial Service Commission.
The four members were Dele Edokpayi, Mustapha Abubarkar, Anthony Ogbeibu and Mrs Felicia Ogbeide.
