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  • News - South South - Edo
  • Updated: January 06, 2021

Certificate Forgery: Court Exonerates Obaseki

 Certificate Forgery: Court Exonerates Obaseki

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State was on Tuesday exonerated by the authorities of the University of Ibadan (UI) over the alleged forgery of his degree certificate brought against him by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

AllNews learned that the degree certificate presented by the authorities of the school was confirmed to have been issued to Governor Obaseki by the institution in 1979 after his formal graduation.

This online news platform understands that Governor Obaseki opened his defence on Tuesday in the case brought against him, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its member, Edobor Williams.

The plaintiffs, who want Obaseki disqualified as a candidate in the last governorship election in Edo State alleged that the governor forged his first-degree certificate he claimed to have obtained from U.I and which he submitted to INEC as part of his educational qualification.

They are contending that a photocopy of the degree certificate attached to the nomination form submitted to INEC did not contain the signature of the Registrar of the university and the date the certificate was issued.

But, from the evidence presented at the court, Obaseki demonstrated the absence of the Registrar’s signature and date of issue on the copy of the certificate he submitted to INEC because it was not properly photocopied, which made both features, contained in the original copy,  to be cut off.

Speaking at the court, the Deputy Chief Registrar, Legal Affairs, UI, Abayomi Ajayi, who testified on the subpoena, told Justice Ahmed Mohammed that the governor graduated from the university.

Although, the court hearing on the matter continues on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Relevant pages of UI calendar for 1976, admission brochure for degrees, the award of diplomas and certificates and Obaseki’s application for admission, and another one for the collection of his certificate from the university were tendered by the witness and admitted as exhibits by the court.

READ ALSO: Professors Tender Exhibits Against Gov Obaseki In Alleged Certificate Forgery Suit

The witness maintained that from the records of the university, Obaseki was admitted as a student in 1976 through direct entry and graduated in 1979.

Under cross-examination by counsel of the APC, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), the witness said, “I will not regard the photocopy of the original certificate as forged, but incomplete photocopy, because the certificate of the University of Ibadan is larger than the paper upon which the photocopy was made.”

Earlier in his evidence, Charity Aiguobarueghian, an unofficial advisor to Obaseki, had admitted making the disputed photocopy of the original degree certificate for his principal. All the certificates, which are original copies, were admitted as exhibits by Justice Mohammed.

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