Obaseki wins again, as court dismisses APC suit

Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki on Saturday, recorded another victory against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and one of its members, Edobor Williams.

This is as a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the alleged certificate forgery case filed against him by the opposition party in the state.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed who delivered judgment in the suit stated that APC and Williams, the plaintiffs could not prove their claim that Obaseki forged his academic certificates submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the September 19, 2019 governorship election in the state.

The judge described the plaintiffs as lazy, and that they did not make any efforts to cross-check from the University of Ibadan and the West African Examination Council the two institutions that issued the certificates they claimed Obaseki forged.

The opposition party in the state and it’s member had dragged Obaseki before the court, claiming that he forged his certificates used to seek re-election in the September 19, 2020 governorship election in that state.

But ruling on the suit, Justice Mohammed held that the plaintiffs relied on the photocopied document presented by Governor Obaseki without getting in touch with the university to verify the authenticity of the said certificate.

He added that no iota of truth was presented to the court by the plaintiffs to back their claim of alleged forgery, adding, that the Deputy Registrar (Legal) of the University of Ibadan had given evidence in the suit that the university duly issued the certificate to Governor Obaseki.

According to him, the governor was duly and properly admitted to study Classics which was later renamed Classical Studies in 1976 and graduated in 1979.

Read also: ‘Obaseki graduated from UI in 1979, his certificate not forged,’ Registrar tells court

Justice Mohammed therefore dismisses the suit, having concluded that the plaintiffs failed to prove their allegations of forgery against Governor Obaseki, did not award any cost against the plaintiffs.

Before the judgement was delivered, counsels to both parties in the matter had closed their cases after they presented witnesses and evidence to the court.

During proceedings on Thursday, lawyer to the Plaintiffs, Akin Olujimi, adopted his final written address.

He urged the court to affirm their position that the governor presented a forged certificate to the electoral umpire and was unfit to occupy the office.

This was, however, rejected by Governor Obaseki’s counsel, Ken Mozia, who asked the court to dismiss the suit over what he described as the plaintiff’s failure to prove their case.

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