S’Court dismisses APC’s certificate forgery case against Gov Obaseki

ANDREW OROLUA, ABUJA.

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by All Progressives Congress (APC) against Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State.

The party had challenged the concurrent decisions of the Court of Appeal and Federal High Court that dismissed their case and allegation that Governor Obasaki forged University of Ibadan degree certificate with which he contested the election.

The apex court in a unanimous decision on Friday dismissed the APC appeal . Delivering the judgment Justice Emmanuel Agim who read the lead judgment said the Appellant failed woefully to prove their case.

“They did not provide any disclaimer from the school that the result was not issued by them to Obaseki”

The Supreme Court completely agreed with the lower courts, that the appellant did not provide sufficient evidence to prove their case beyond any reason doubt .

The apex court awarded N1million cost against the Appellant in favour of Gov. Obaseki.

Recalled that the Court Appeal had awarded N250, 000 cost in favour of Mr Obaseki when it dismissed the suit for lacking in merit .

Though, a judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Ahmed Mohammed did not award any cost ,he had on January 9 dismissed the alleged certificate forgery suit against Mr Obaseki.

The judge had described the APC’s allegation as strange, saying it was like an outsider telling a man in his house that he is not the father of a child.

Apparently not satisfied with the decision of the lower court, the APC approached the appellate court to challenge the judgment.

Delivering judgment in the appeal, Justice Stephen Adah held that the lower court was right in its findings and conclusions.

Justice Adah upheld the testimony of the Deputy Registrar, Legal, University of Ibadan, Abayomi Ajayi, who confirmed that Obaseki attended the university in 1976 and fulfilled the requirement for admission to study Classical Studies.

Supreme Court on Friday said that it was clear that the evidence of Mr Ajayi was direct in showing that Mr Obaseki did not forge the certificate he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to secure his clearance for participation in the governorship election.

It said the appeal was unmeritorious and consequently dismissed it.