PDP Wants Gombe Gov, His Deputy, Disqualified over Alleged Forged Certificates

Segun Awofadeji in Gombe

Gombe State chapter of the Peoples Demo cratic Party (PDP) and its Governorship Candidate, Muhammad Jibrin Barde, have urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to disqualify the State Governor,  Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya and his Deputy, Dr Jatau Manassah Daniel from contesting and participating in the 2023 governorship election in Gombe State for alleged submission of forged certificates.

But in a swift reaction,  Governor Yahaya  described the legal action embarked upon by the State chapter of the opposition PDP and its gubernatorial candidate, Jibrin Barde against his candidature in the 2023 General elections as efforts in futility.

In  SUIT NO: FJC/ABJ/CS/1301/2022 between Peoples Democratic Party & 2 Ors v. INEC & 3 Ors filed on the 2nd August, 2022,  PDP prayed the Court to disqualify  Inuwa Yahaya and his deputy from contesting the election having submitted forged documents and certificates to INEC which were published on 22nd July, 2022.

In an Originating Summons  filed on their behalf by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief Arthur Obi Okafor, SAN and  J.J. Usman, SAN, the Plaintiffs submitted relying on series of Supreme Court decisions that Inuwa Yahaya and his Deputy having deposed to Forms EC-9, the said Forms constitute Certificates and making false statement in them amount to submitting forged certificates which is a disqualifying ground under Sections 177(d) and 182(1)(j) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).

In a court processes,  the Plaintiffs alleged that Jatau bears multiple names in his certificates to wit:Certificate of primary Education (ManassahJatau), West African Examination Council School Certificate (Daniel Manassah J), University of Maiduguri Certificate (Manassah Daniel Jatau), National Youth Service Corps Certificate (Daniel Manassah)without a deed poll and any valid change of name attached to his Form EC-9 submitted to INEC.

The Plaintiffs further alleged that in 2022, Governor Yahaya submitted Form EC-9 (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 1985-2003 as against what he deposed to in 2018 as working in Bauchi Investment Company Limited in 1985, A.Y.U & Co. Ltd between 1980-1990.

That  Gov.  Yahaya in 2018 while presenting his personal particulars to  INEC to participate in the Gombe State Governorship election stated in his INEC Form CF001 that he worked with A.Y.U & Co. Ltd from 1980 – 1990, while in 2022, the same Inuwa stated in his INEC Form EC-9 that he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd from 1985 – 2003.

The governor  by his INEC Form CF001 has stated under oath that  in 1980 -1990, he worked with A.Y.U. & Co Ltd, however, in 2022, the same Inuwa stated again on oath via his INEC Form EC-9 that he worked with the same A.Y.U. & Co. Ltd from 1985 – 2003.

According to the Plaintiffs, Inuwa’s  Deputy attached his Certificate of National Youth Service Corps dated the 31st July, 1980 which stated thus:

“This is to certify that Daniel Manassah NYSC/Mad/79/6201 has satisfactorily completed one year of the national Service from 1st August 1979 to 31stJuly 1979 in accordance with section 11 of the national Youth Service Corps decree No. 24 of 1973”.

The Plaintiffs further contended that the deputy governor, who claimed to be working with the Nigeria Army from the period of August 1979 till July 1980 has submitted an NYSC discharge certificate that stated on its face that he commenced his National Youth service in August 1979 and completed same in July 1979.

The Plaintiffs also contended that from the paragraph D of the Jatau’s INEC Form EC-9, he claimed that he worked for the Nigeria Army from July 1979 till August 1980 and his reason for leaving the Nigeria Army in July 1980 was for the National Youth Service.

The Plaintiffs contended further that in Jatau’s INEC FORM EC-9, he commenced his NYSC after he left the Nigeria Army in July 1980 but  submitted an NYSC Certificate that stated he commenced his National Youth Service in August 1979 and ended in July 1979.

The Plaintiffs argued that FORM EC-9 being an affidavit on oath, both the Gov Inuwa and his  Deputy Jatau having made false statement therein, have committed forgery and are not qualified to contest the election which they have set themselves to do.

The Plaintiffs urged the Court to disqualify them. No date has been given for the hearing of the case.

Meanwhile,  Governor Yahaya has described the legal action as efforts in futility.

Speaking  through his Director-General, (Press Affairs), Ismaila Uba Misilli, Tuesday night, the governor said that it is a mere distraction which will not deter him and administration from delivering dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

He said: “Well, we have not yet been served with court process. It’s only when we are served that we would be able to constructively issue any statement. But for now all I can say based on the information in the media is that these are full of spurious, self- defeatist and unfounded allegations by a party and its candidate being haunted and hunted by their morbid fear of an imminent and inevitable defeat in the 2023 elections.” 

“They should rather face the electorate and sell their manifestos rather than coming from the back door. The INEC and Judiciary of today are not the ones that can be hoodwinked. We are waiting for the court process and we shall respond accordingly.”