Alleged Certificate Forgery: APC Opens Case Against Obaseki

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday opened its case of
certificate forgery against the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki,
by calling its first witness, Professor Omoregie Edobor.

The APC is calling its first witness in the suit filed in July
this year against Obaseki, who became the state governor in 2016 on
its platform.

In the suit, which has barely 16 days before it lapses, the APC
and one of its chieftains, Williams Edobor, are claiming that
Obaseki allegedly forged his first degree certificate with which he
used in securing his candidacy in the last September governorship
election, hence he should be disqualified.

The court in September 2020 after deciding that rulings in all
applications as well as objections would be delivered alongside
judgment, ordered the APC to call its witnesses to prove
allegations made against Obaseki.

The court also last Tuesday fixed yesterday and December 29 for
the plaintiffs to open their case after it declined Obaseki’s
request to halt proceedings pending the determination of his appeal
against the ruling of the Court of Appeal in
Abuja.

At yesterday’s proceedings, the plaintiffs, through their lead
counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), called in their first witness,
Edobor, a professor of Law from the University of Benin, who
presented various documents to prove that the Bachelor of Arts in
Classical Studies, which Obaseki submitted to the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification
for the 2020 governorship election was forged.

Although, the defendants had used the same documents to
cross-examine the witness, the documents were, however, not
admitted following defendants claim that Edobor was not the maker,
and as such, cannot tender them.

But the position of the plaintiffs was that the said documents
sought to be tendered were the same documents of Obaseki in his
defence.

However, during cross-examination by Obaseki’s lawyer, Ken Mozia
(SAN), the witness, who identified the University of Ibadan
Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies certificate issued on July 6,
1979, to Obaseki, observed that while the signature of the vice
chancellor was very clear, that of the registrar was “not
legible.”

On the qualification for direct entry into the university, the
witness told the court that candidates with Advanced Level or
Higher School Certificate (HSC) are admitted for a three-year
degree programme, and went ahead to confirm Obaseki’s HSC
certificate issued to him by the West African School Certificate
(WASC) in June 1976.

When asked by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawyer, Rasaq
Isilalomhe, if he had ever cited the original copy of the UI
certificate issued to Obaseki, the witness said: “I am not aware
that an original copy of the degree certificate was issued to the
first defendant by UI.

Professor Edobor also told the court that he has never seen the
original of the HSC WASC certificate issued to Obaseki in 1976.

He also told the court that his allegation of forgery against
Obaseki was based on photocopies of certificates Obaseki presented
to INEC.

Edobor alleged that there were two BA degrees Obaseki presented
to INEC, adding that in the one of 2020, the signature of the
registrar was not legible.

While he told the court that he did not report the alleged
forgery to the police because it was not his duty to do so, he,
however, said he was not aware that Obaseki was prosecuted by any
court for forgery of certificate.

However, counsel to INEC, Mr. Bawa, told the court that his
client has no question for the witness.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday opened its case of
certificate forgery against the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki,
by calling its first witness, Professor Omoregie Edobor.

The APC is calling its first witness in the suit filed in July
this year against Obaseki, who became the state governor in 2016 on
its platform.

In the suit, which has barely 16 days before it lapses, the APC
and one of its chieftains, Williams Edobor, are claiming that
Obaseki allegedly forged his first degree certificate with which he
used in securing his candidacy in the last September governorship
election, hence he should be disqualified.

The court in September 2020 after deciding that rulings in all
applications as well as objections would be delivered alongside
judgment, ordered the APC to call its witnesses to prove
allegations made against Obaseki.

The court also last Tuesday fixed yesterday and December 29 for
the plaintiffs to open their case after it declined Obaseki’s
request to halt proceedings pending the determination of his appeal
against the ruling of the Court of Appeal in
Abuja.

At yesterday’s proceedings, the plaintiffs, through their lead
counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), called in their first witness,
Edobor, a professor of Law from the University of Benin, who
presented various documents to prove that the Bachelor of Arts in
Classical Studies, which Obaseki submitted to the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his qualification
for the 2020 governorship election was forged.

Although, the defendants had used the same documents to
cross-examine the witness, the documents were, however, not
admitted following defendants claim that Edobor was not the maker,
and as such, cannot tender them.

But the position of the plaintiffs was that the said documents
sought to be tendered were the same documents of Obaseki in his
defence.

However, during cross-examination by Obaseki’s lawyer, Ken Mozia
(SAN), the witness, who identified the University of Ibadan
Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies certificate issued on July 6,
1979, to Obaseki, observed that while the signature of the vice
chancellor was very clear, that of the registrar was “not
legible.”

On the qualification for direct entry into the university, the
witness told the court that candidates with Advanced Level or
Higher School Certificate (HSC) are admitted for a three-year
degree programme, and went ahead to confirm Obaseki’s HSC
certificate issued to him by the West African School Certificate
(WASC) in June 1976.

When asked by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawyer, Rasaq
Isilalomhe, if he had ever cited the original copy of the UI
certificate issued to Obaseki, the witness said: “I am not aware
that an original copy of the degree certificate was issued to the
first defendant by UI.

Professor Edobor also told the court that he has never seen the
original of the HSC WASC certificate issued to Obaseki in 1976.

He also told the court that his allegation of forgery against
Obaseki was based on photocopies of certificates Obaseki presented
to INEC.

Edobor alleged that there were two BA degrees Obaseki presented
to INEC, adding that in the one of 2020, the signature of the
registrar was not legible.

While he told the court that he did not report the alleged
forgery to the police because it was not his duty to do so, he,
however, said he was not aware that Obaseki was prosecuted by any
court for forgery of certificate.

However, counsel to INEC, Mr. Bawa, told the court that his
client has no question for the witness.