Court Admits More Exhibits Against Obaseki Over Certificate Forgery

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday tendered two more
documents to prove its allegation of certificate forgery against
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki at the Federal High Court,
Abuja.

The two documents which include: A University of Ibadan degree
certificate, belonging to Dr. Emmanuel Balogun and a report by a
forensic document examiner, Assistant Superintendent of Police
(ASP), Mr. Raphael Onwuzuligbo, were admitted in evidence by the
court after they were tendered through the lead counsel of the
plaintiffs, Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN.

The first-degree certificate in agricultural science tendered
was awarded to Balogun in 1979, the same year with that of
Obaseki.

Although the second document was admitted with a caveat
following objections to their admissibility raised by the first and
second defendants in the suit.

The APC and one of its chieftains, Mr. Williams Edobor had
dragged Obaseki, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court
seeking the disqualification of Obaseki in the September 19
governorship election over alleged forgery and perjury.

The plaintiffs earlier at Tuesday’s proceedings through a
subpoenaed witness, Mr. Samuel Omale, INEC’s Legal Officer,
tendered form EC9 completed and submitted to INEC in aid of his
qualification for the last governorship poll in Edo State.

Meanwhile, Balogun during cross examination yesterday told the
court that he has never seen the controversial degree certificate
issued to Obaseki by the authorities of the University of
Ibadan.

While admitting further that he had never worked in the
admission department of the University of Ibadan, Balogun answered
that he would not be in a position to make comment on Obaseki’s
certificates.

The APC witness who tendered the original degree certificate
issued to him by the University of Ibadan in 1979 to buttress the
forgery allegation against Obaseki informed the court that
generally, certificates are signed by the Vice Chancellors and
Registrars and that they always bear dates.

Responding to a question on the process of photocopying of a
document, the witness said when the document to be photocopied is
not properly placed in the machine, it is possible for some parts
of the original not to be included in the photocopied.

“If you do not scale it, some parts will be left out and it will
not be a true reflection of the original documents,” he said.

After his discharged from the witness box, attempt by the
plaintiffs to call in their fourth witness was challenged by the
first and second defendants on grounds that they have exhausted the
number of days provided by the court for the plaintiffs to call
their witnesses, adding that by the court’s adjournment the
previous day, the plaintiffs were to close their case and the first
defendant called upon to open its case.

The objections were however overruled by Justice Mohammed, who
noted that a lot of issues came up that affected the time given to
the plaintiffs, stating that similar consideration would be
extended to the defendants.

The first and second defendants similarly, objected to attempts
by the plaintiffs to tender the report Onwuzuligbo carried out in
respect of the alleged forgery by Obaseki.

However, the matter has been adjourned till today for the
cross-examination of Onwuzuligbo by the defendants. As at
yesterday, the case has barely 11 days to become stalled, whereby
anything done afterwards would become meaningless and of no
effect.

The case was filed on July 14 and going by the constitutional
provisions of 180 days for
pre-election matters, is expected to lapse on January 13, 2020.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday tendered two more
documents to prove its allegation of certificate forgery against
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki at the Federal High Court,
Abuja.

The two documents which include: A University of Ibadan degree
certificate, belonging to Dr. Emmanuel Balogun and a report by a
forensic document examiner, Assistant Superintendent of Police
(ASP), Mr. Raphael Onwuzuligbo, were admitted in evidence by the
court after they were tendered through the lead counsel of the
plaintiffs, Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN.

The first-degree certificate in agricultural science tendered
was awarded to Balogun in 1979, the same year with that of
Obaseki.

Although the second document was admitted with a caveat
following objections to their admissibility raised by the first and
second defendants in the suit.

The APC and one of its chieftains, Mr. Williams Edobor had
dragged Obaseki, his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and
the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court
seeking the disqualification of Obaseki in the September 19
governorship election over alleged forgery and perjury.

The plaintiffs earlier at Tuesday’s proceedings through a
subpoenaed witness, Mr. Samuel Omale, INEC’s Legal Officer,
tendered form EC9 completed and submitted to INEC in aid of his
qualification for the last governorship poll in Edo State.

Meanwhile, Balogun during cross examination yesterday told the
court that he has never seen the controversial degree certificate
issued to Obaseki by the authorities of the University of
Ibadan.

While admitting further that he had never worked in the
admission department of the University of Ibadan, Balogun answered
that he would not be in a position to make comment on Obaseki’s
certificates.

The APC witness who tendered the original degree certificate
issued to him by the University of Ibadan in 1979 to buttress the
forgery allegation against Obaseki informed the court that
generally, certificates are signed by the Vice Chancellors and
Registrars and that they always bear dates.

Responding to a question on the process of photocopying of a
document, the witness said when the document to be photocopied is
not properly placed in the machine, it is possible for some parts
of the original not to be included in the photocopied.

“If you do not scale it, some parts will be left out and it will
not be a true reflection of the original documents,” he said.

After his discharged from the witness box, attempt by the
plaintiffs to call in their fourth witness was challenged by the
first and second defendants on grounds that they have exhausted the
number of days provided by the court for the plaintiffs to call
their witnesses, adding that by the court’s adjournment the
previous day, the plaintiffs were to close their case and the first
defendant called upon to open its case.

The objections were however overruled by Justice Mohammed, who
noted that a lot of issues came up that affected the time given to
the plaintiffs, stating that similar consideration would be
extended to the defendants.

The first and second defendants similarly, objected to attempts
by the plaintiffs to tender the report Onwuzuligbo carried out in
respect of the alleged forgery by Obaseki.

However, the matter has been adjourned till today for the
cross-examination of Onwuzuligbo by the defendants. As at
yesterday, the case has barely 11 days to become stalled, whereby
anything done afterwards would become meaningless and of no
effect.

The case was filed on July 14 and going by the constitutional
provisions of 180 days for
pre-election matters, is expected to lapse on January 13, 2020.