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Fred Itua, Abuja
Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial District, Ifeanyi Patrick Ubah, has informed the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja that the Nigerian Bar Association’s stamp and seal on the originating processes of the suit sacking him from office as a senator were forged.
In an affidavit filed by his lawyer, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, he asked the court to allow him tender letters from the NBA showing that the stamp and seal had not been issued by them before the processes were filed and the court delivered its judgment.
The senior lawyer also attached a letter from the Chief Registrar of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory showing that payment for the court processes were made on September 25, 2019, that is about five months after the court had delivered judgment in the suit. The court delivered judgment in the suit on April 11, 2019.
He argued that the trial judge, Bello Kawu, assumed jurisdiction in the case when, in fact, there were no valid processes before him to confer jurisdiction on him.
Responding to a request from Ubah’s lawyers on the date of payment of the filing fees in suit number CV/3033/2018: Anani Anacletus Chuka vs Ubah Patrick Ifeanyi and others, the Chief Registrar of the FCT High Court said: “We write to confirm that the payment in respect of the above named suit was made on September 25, 2019 paid by Argo Ifunanya for an originating summons with receipt No:11643044 and teller No: 0148979, amount N4,300: Aso Savings and Loans.”
Following the same request by Ikpeazu to the NBA General Secretary seeking a confirmation of the date of application and issuance of the association’s stamp and seal as per the said case, the NBA General Secretary, Jonathan Gunn Taidi, stated that “pursuant to your request letter dated March 5, 2020 on the captioned subject matter and upon investigation, findings reveal that the stamp in respect of Ifunanya Nwando Aroh SCN101933 was produced under Batch 137 on August 20, 2019 with expiry date of March 2020 while the stamp in respect of Eziafa Samuel Enwedo SCN089053 was produced under Batch 150 on September 11th, 2019 with expiry date of March 2020.
Hearing of the appeal continues on Thursday.
