Edo: Obaseki’s original UI certificate surfaces in court
The sudden illness of Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed stalled Thursday’s hearing in the alleged certificate forgery suit instituted against Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki.
However, Obaseki’s lead counsel, Ken Mozia (SAN), while speaking with reporters after adjournment, displayed the original Bachelor of Arts Degree Certificate of the University of Ibadan (UI), awarded in 1979.
The UI had, in June, confirmed that Obaseki was a student of the institution.
Olubunmi Faluyi, the Registrar, in a statement, noted that the Edo helmsman gained admission in 1976 and studied Classics.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and a chieftain, Williams Edobor, sued Obaseki, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The plaintiffs are arguing that the certificate Obaseki presented to INEC was fake.
The judge had on Wednesday adjourned hearing for the cross-examination of the fourth plaintiffs’ witness, Raphael Onwuzuligbo, a retired Police officer and forensic examiner.
On Thursday, Justice Mohammed announced that he had “severe attack of malaria” and would not be able to go the full hub of the day’s proceedings.
The plaintiffs’ lead counsel, Akin Olujimi (SAN), on behalf of others, empathized with the judge.
He did not oppose the suggestion by Mozia, Razak Isenalumhe and Sulaiman Dambaba, lawyers to Obaseki, PDP and INEC, that the matter be adjourned until Monday January 4, 2021.
The case was filed on July 14, and by the constitutional provisions of 180 days for pre-election matters, hearing timeframe will lapse on January 13, 2020
