Alleged certificate forgery: Anxiety, cautious optimism as Supreme Court delivers judgment on Friday in APC’s certificate forgery suit against Obaseki

The Supreme Court will, on Friday (May 28) give judgment in a suit brought by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Governor Godwin Obaseki over discrepancies in his certificates that he submitted in aid of his election as Edo governor.

The APC and one of its members, Williams Edobor, who filed the suit had in the suit accused Obaseki of forging his Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies certificate which he submitted to INEC in support of his nomination as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the September election.

The plaintiffs prayed for the disqualification of Obaseki as the PDP’s candidate in the election on the grounds of certificate forgery.

In a judgment by the trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of Federal High Court, Abuja, on January 9, dismissed the suit, declaring that the plaintiffs were unable to prove the allegation of certificate forgery against Obaseki.

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The judge had described the APC’s allegation as strange, saying it was like an outsider telling a man in his house that he was 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.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja on March 18, 2021, again dismissed the suit.

The court dismissed the suit for lacking in merit and awarded N250, 000 cost in favour of Obaseki.

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

Justice Adah, thus, 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.

The judge maintained that the evidence of Ajayi was direct in showing that 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.

The appellate court held that the APC failed to prove the certificate forgery allegation and that the appeal was unmeritorious.

The court subsequently dismissed the appeal with N250, 000 cost in favour of Obaseki and N50,000 each in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC.

Again, unsatisfied with the Appeal Court judgment, the plaintiffs proceeded to the apex court, asking it to set aside both the judgments of the Appeal Court and trial court.

Friday, May 28, is the decision day as the Supreme Court has reportedly fixed 9.30 am for delivery of judgment. There has been an announcement indicating that the judgment will be through zoom.

The announcement as circulated in some social media platforms is hereunder reproduced.

Edo Judgment
=====•••••=====

Supreme Court of Nigeria is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: In The Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden At Abuja: Judgements Delivery
Time: May 28, 2021 09:30 West Central Africa

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88473213721?pwd=UU10UnBOUVNHMVBONnZmR2JjZTYzdz09

Meeting ID: 884 7321 3721
Passcode: 055564
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Meeting ID: 884 7321 3721
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Meanwhile, an air of cautious optimism and palpable anxiety has pervaded the political space in Edo, with elements on both parties admitting that only God, and perhaps the Supreme Court panel know where the pendulum of victory would swing.

Seven justices will read their judgments and even if both parties are running neck and neck, the significant seventh member of the panel will break the tie.