A suit has been filed before the Federal High Court by the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), and its Gombe State Governorship Candidate, Muhammad Barde, asking the court to disqualify Gombe State Governor, Mohammed Yahaya and his deputy, Jatau Daniel, from contesting in the 2023 Governorship Election, for allegedly submitting forged certificates.
In the suit filed on behalf of the PDP and Barde by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Arthur Okafor, and Johnson Usman, the plaintiffs relied on a series of Supreme Court decisions, that Yahaya and his deputy, having deposed to Forms EC-9, which constitutes certificates, and making a false statement in it, amounts to submitting forged certificates, which is a disqualifying ground under Sections 177(d) and 182(1J) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as Amended.
The PDP and Barde alleged that the Deputy Governor, Daniel bears multiple names in all his Educational Certificates, without a deed poll and any valid change of name attached to his Form EC-9, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, published on 22nd July 2022.
The plaintiffs are saying, the governor 2022, submitted Form EC-9, an Affidavit of Personal Particulars of Person seeking election into the office of Governor of Gombe State, where he stated that he worked in Bauchi State Investment Company Limited in 1984, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd between 1985 to 2003 as against what he deposed to earlier in 2018 as working in Bauchi Investment Company Limited in 1985, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd between 1980-1990.
The plaintiffs are also saying that the Deputy Governor, Daniel, who claimed to have worked with the Nigeria Army from August 1979 to July 1980 has submitted an NYSC discharge certificate that stated that he commenced his National Youth Service in August 1979 and completed the same in July 1979.
The plaintiffs also contended that in Daniel’s INEC FORM EC-9, he commenced his NYSC after he left the Nigeria Army in July 1980, but he submitted an NYSC Certificate that stated he commenced his National Youth Service in August 1979 and ended in July 1979.
Plaintiff argues that Form EC-9 being an affidavit on oath, both the governor and his deputy, are not qualified to contest the 2023 Election.
They, therefore, urged the court to disqualify the duo on these grounds.
The defendants in the suit are INEC, The All Progressives Congress, APC, Mohammed Yahaya and his deputy, Jatau Daniel, as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, respectively.
No date has been given for the hearing of the suit.
(Editor: Ifeanyi Mark)
