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From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), for Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency of Benue State, Emmanual Ukaa, has prayed the National and State Assembly election petition Tribunal in Makurdi to declare him the winner of the election, on the grounds of alleged forgery against Asema Achado of the All Progressives Congress, (APC).
Mr Ukaa also urged the tribunal to void the declaration and return Achado as the winner of the election, saying Achado was not eligible to contest the election having presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in his form EC-9.
Ukaa stated this through his counsel, Kenneth Ikonne while adopting his final written address at the tribunal.
He prayed the court to allow his pleadings and grant the reliefs sought.
Counsel to INEC, Abdujabar Aliyu, of Achado, S.M Oyege and that of the APC, Fidelis Mnyim, all urged the court to dismiss the petition and award cost against the petitioners (Ukaa and the PDP).
The Chairman of the three-member panel, Justice Amina Aliyu accordingly adjourned the matter for judgement on a date to be communicated to the parties.
In the petition marked EPT/BN/HR/12/2023, Mr Ukaa avered that Achado at the time of the election was not qualified to contest the election.
He stated that Achado presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission in his Form EC-9, wherein Achado certified under oath in paragraph “C, schools attended/Educational qualification with the date that he, Austin Asema Achado, secured various educational qualifications including IJMB certificate, B.Sc and M.Sc Degree in Architecture as well as WAEC and FSLC, whereas he, Austin Asema Achado, has no such qualifications.
According to Ukaa, contrary to the express requirement/stipulation in paragraph ‘C’ of the aforesaid Form EC-9, Achado withheld/concealed the identities of the schools from which he obtained the said educational qualifications, thereby making the task of verification of both the schools and the claimed qualifications impossible.
You will recall that When Achado entered his defence and sought to tender a document (gazette) to cure the discrepancies in the names on the certificates he submitted to INEC, it was rejected by the three-member on the grounds that the document sought to be tendered was not front-loaded.
Answering questions from Ukaa’s counsel, Achado while trying to explain the discrepancies in the names on his secondary school certificate, Interim Joint Matriculation Board, IJMB, certificate, and MSc he tendered to INEC, informed the court that at various times, he was known as Achado Alfred Augustine, Austin Alfred Achado, Achado Austine Asema, adding that Austin is his baptism name, while Alfred is his confirmation name.
He further told the court that Augustine and Austin are the same.
Documents before the tribunal indicated that the WAEC submitted by Achado in his INEC form EC-9 bears Achado Alfred Augustine.
His IJMB, bears Achado Augustine Alfred, while the MSc bears Austin Alfred Achado.
He didn’t state or attach his primary school certificate or first-degree certificate in his INEC form EC-9.
Also, his certificate of state of origin bears Achado Asema Austine, while his declaration of age is bearing Austin Asema Achado, same with his INEC form EC-9.
