Enugu Guber tribunal quashes certificate forgery allegation against Mbah

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu State has trashed to the “dustbin” the certificate forgery allegation against Governor Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The tribunal ruled that claims by the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, candidate, Elder Christopher Agu were without merit.

Agu had filed a case, alleging that Mbah forged his National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, certificate. He also alleged irregularities in the election, as well as over-voting.

Justice Kudirat Morayo Akano-led Tribunal, however, ruled on Thursday that the petitioner could not prove allegations of fraud against Mbah.

The Tribunal held that there was no evidence before it to support PRP’s claim that a forged certificate was submitted to INEC, adding that the issue was not contained in the petitioner’s affidavit.

In particular, it stated that to prove forgery, both the original and the supposedly forged certificate ought to have been exhibited.

On the issue of plea bargain by Mbah, the Tribunal averred that the exhibits presented by the petitioners didn’t show any plea bargain by the respondent. The court said the evidence presented by Mbah was to the effect that he was acquitted of the charges.

The panel also averred that witnesses called by the petitioners couldn’t specify the polling units where the elections didn’t hold nor the results of same.

The ruling held that the election of March 18 that returned Peter Mbah as the winner was in line with the provisions of Electoral Act, 2022