Alleged certificate forgery: Gov Wike urges court to dismiss suit

Andrew Orolua, Abuja

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday asked the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to dismiss the suit seeking to disqualify him from contesting the March 2nd, 2019 Governorship election in Rivers State. Wike prayer is contained in a counter-affidavit he filed in responds to Elvis Chinda’s suit seeking to disqualify him and a preliminary objection challenging the main suit. The plaintiff, Elvis Chinda, had in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1430/3018 and filed on 26 November 2018 prayed the Court to disqualify Governor Wike who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the document filed in Court, the plaintiff had averred that Wike’s Certificate of birth presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for his clearance and eventual nomination for March 2, election was forged. According to Chinda’s deposition “Wike breached the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) in his deposition titled: “Affidavit in Support of Personal Particulars of Persons Seeking Election to the Office /Membership of Governor( Form C. F. 001)on 29 October 2018 sworn to at the High Court Registry, Port Harcourt, which he submitted to INEC on the 2nd November 2018 for the 2019 governorship election.” The plaintiff had prayed that except an order is made to disqualify Gov Wike from contesting the election scheduled for March this year , the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)the 1st defendant will not be in a position to enforce the violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) committed by Wike. When the matter came up yesterday before Justice Inyang Ekwo for hearing , plaintiff’s lawyer Achinike William- Wobodo informed that though the matter was for hearing Governor Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)the 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively served him with processes yesterday and he need to further reply to them. Responding, Wike’s lawyer, Ferdinand Orbih (SAN) applied to regularise the processes, he had filed which were out of time. The application was not opposed by the plaintiff counsel and the judge granted the request as prayed. Plaintiff counsel William- Wobodo further informed the court that his client had filed an affidavit of facts which should be taken. Justice Ekwo observed that there was no such application before the court. He said if the plaintiff had deposed to an affidavit of facts, the counsel knows the proper procedure to adopt for his complaint to be heard. Justice Ekwo, therefore, adjourned the matter to February 25, to enable plaintiff counsel response to Wike’s counter affidavit.