From OAloysius Attah and binna Odogwu
Barely 24 hours after senator representing Anambra South and governorship candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Senator Ifeanyi Uba, boasted that he would withdraw from the race if anybody produces a proof that he is indebted to any bank, he has been hit by a court case challenging his eligibility to contest based on his credentials.
Senator Uba had, while reacting to allegation that he is owing banks, told newsmen in Nnewi that no bank would accuse him of taking any loan.
The battle against Uba has shifted to the Federal High Court, Abuja, where a political party has sued him, the YPP, his running mate, Okechukwu Nnamdi Eze, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO) over his school certificate.
In suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/ 939/2021, filed on August 18, 2021, the political party claimed that form EC9 submitted by Uba to INEC was full of false information.
The political party, in an affidavit in support of its originating claim, said that the National Examination Council Certificate belonging to the 2nd Respondent (Uba) and submitted to the 4th Respondent (INEC) as part of the documents accompanying the form EC9 was on the face of it allegedly at variance with the certified copy of 2nd Respondent’s real certificate as issued by the 5th Respondent (NECO).
It said that in the said EC9 submitted to the 4th Respondent for the 2021 governorship elections of Anambra State, the 2nd Respondent allegedly submitted another National Examination Council (NECO) certificate bearing Serial number 303865920 to the 4th Respondent which was duly accepted by the said 4th Respondent.
The political party said the certified true copy of the 2nd Respondent’s real National Examination Council (NECO) certificate as issued by the 5th Respondent allegedly bears serial number 303565920 and that the National Examination Council Certificate with serial number 303865920 submitted by the 2nd Respondent to the 4th Respondent in Form EC9 as qualifying the 2nd Respondent to contest the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election is allegedly false.
The political party is praying the court to determine whether NECO Certificate “issued in 2003 with serial number 303865920 submitted by the 2nd Respondent to the 4th Respondent for the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election is false and different from the certified true copy of the said 1st Respondent’s real National Examination Council Certificate bearing serial number 303565920 as issued by the 5th Respondent also in 2003?”
It also wants the court to determine whether the 2nd Respondent’s act of submitting to the 4th Respondent, a National Examination Council Certificate with serial number 303865920 which is allegedly different from the 2nd Respondent’s real certificate bearing serial number 303565920 constitutes giving false information to the 4th respondent and a breach of Section 182(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended as well as Section 31(6) of the Electoral Act as amended.
The plaintiff wants the court to determine whether the 2nd Respondent is disqualified from contesting the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election for allegedly giving false information to the 4th Respondent” and “whether the nomination of the 2nd respondent by the 1st respondent as its candidate for the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election is not invalid and therefore null and void.”
It is however praying the court for a declaration “that the National Examination Council Certificate purportedly issued in 2003 with serial number 303865920 submitted by the 2nd Respondent to the 4th Respondent for the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election is false and different from the certified true copy of the said 2nd Respondent’s National Examination Council Certificate bearing serial number 303565920 as issued by the 5th Respondent also in 2003.”
It is also seeking a declaration that the 2nd Respondent’s act of submitting to the 4th Respondent, a National Examination Council Certificate with serial number 303865920 which is allegedly different from the 2nd Respondent’s certificate bearing serial number 303565920 constitutes giving false information to the 4th respondent and a breach of Section 182(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended as well as Section 31(6) of the Electoral Act as amended.
The political party further seeks a declaration that the 2nd Respondent is disqualified from contesting the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election for allegedly giving false information to the 4th Respondent and a declaration that “the nomination of the 2nd Respondent by the 1st Respondent as its candidate for the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election is invalid and therefore null and void.”
It therefore wants the court to issue orders disqualifying the 2nd Respondent from contesting the 2021 gubernatorial election in Anambra State for allegedly giving false information to the 4th Respondents as well as an order invalidating the nomination of the 2nd respondent by the 1st Respondent as its candidate for the forthcoming 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election.
It also wants an order “directing the 4th Respondent to remove the name of the 2nd Respondent from the list of candidates for the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election” and an order “restraining the 4th respondent from inputting the name of the 1st respondent or the 2nd respondent on the ballot for the 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election.”