Alleged certificate forgery: Obaseki survives another tribunal onslaught

Monday, March 29, 2021 10:53 pm

Governor Godwin Obaseki: celebrates victory in certificate forgery suit at Tribunal

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, has again survived another onslaught, as the state governorship election petition tribunal on Monday dismissed a petition filed by the Action Democratic Party (ADP), against his reelection in the September 19 governorship election in the state.

The petitioners had contended the outcome of the election on the basis that Obaseki presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the purpose of the election.

In a unanimous judgement read by Justice Suleiman Abubakar, the tribunal held that the 3rd Respondent (Godwin Obaseki), did not present either false or forged documents to the 1st Respondent (INEC).

It further held that the report presented by the Petitioners’ expert witness is not reliable, and that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has already resolved the issue and that the 3rd Respondent is not bound to attach his certificates to his INEC Forms 001 or EC 9.

The tribunal also held that the 3rd Respondent did not give any false information to aid his qualification in the light of the Affidavit of loss of documents dated 7 June 2016, attached to his INEC form 001 of 2016.

It was also held that the Petitioners made a faulty step in calling an expert witness instead of calling someone from the University of Ibadan, the maker of the University; the Petitioners have failed to prove the case of forgery or presenting false documents against the 3rd Respondent, (Godwin Obaseki).

The tribunal, therefore unanimously dismissed the petitions and affirmed Obaseki as the elected governor of the state.