The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Plateau State National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Mr Ibrahim Baba-Hassan, as winner of the Jos North Constituency.

The PDP candidate in the 2019 State House of Assembly elections, Mr Munir Barau who made the call while adopting his final written address challenging the victory of Baba-Hassan at the tribunal.

Barau, also prayed the Tribunal to order for a fresh election alleging  that Baba-Hassan of the APC had presented a forged certificate.

Barau, through his lead counsel, Mr. I.B. Shening, told the tribunal that Baba-Hassan was not  qualified to contest the February, 23 Assembly election, having used a forged certificate.

Said Shening: “In 2019, he (Baba-Hassan) didn’t use the same certificate he used in 2014, having known the consequences, which is a pointer to his unfitness and non credibility.

“It could be recalled that Baba-Hassan himself came here and admitted in his testimony before your Lordships that the said University of Jos Diploma certificate in Business Administration he obtained, was without a seal.

“Not only that, he even got that certificate in 1996, two years before the approval of Senate committee in 1998. Of course, you can’t get a certificate before your graduation in any institution in the world.

“Besides, the Registrar of University of Jos was here, and he denied knowledge of that certificate, which a Jos Federal High Court gave a judgment on it as a forged certificate, “ Shening argued.

He further argued, “ this certificate in question, didn’t emanate from a proper source, and therefore it is a forged certificate.

More so, the university issued a disclaimer well advertised in newspaper.” Shening, urged the tribunal to cancel the election in which INEC declared Baba-Hassan winner and order for a fresh election I. Jos-North Constituency.

“We urge your Lordships to disqualify Baba-Hassan and his party, APC from taking part in the re- run that will be ordered having been found culpable in the use of a forged certificate to contest elections, “ Shening pleaded.

The Lead Counsel to Baba-Hassan,  A.A. Sange, had told the tribunal to dismiss the petition of the PDP candidate for lack of merit.

Sange alleged that the petitioners failed to prove their allegations of forgery even with the appearance of the university Registrar, whom he claimed was not categorical in his testimonies.

“Even the petitioners counsels goofed in the sense that they used a Supreme Court ruling that is belated to buttress their claims compared to ours that is more current and correct asking you to dismiss the claim of forgery against our client, Baba-Hassan,” Sange said .

“It is on this premise that we are asking this honorable tribunal to dismiss the petition for lack of merit and let them go and try again next time, “ Sange pleaded.

Also speaking, Mr E. B. Ebe, Counsel to the APC told the tribunal that the petitioners have failed woefully in proving their case and so the petition should be dismissed and struck out.