2023: Tribunal dismisses NYSC certificate forgery allegation against Enugu gov, Mbah

The Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal has dismissed the petition of Chris Agu of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) against Peter Mbah for alleged forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate, non-qualification, and corruption.

The PRP had claimed that Mbah entered a plea bargain with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the past.

But the Tribunal chaired by Justice Kudirat Murayo Akano on Thursday held that the petitioner failed to prove that the respondent did not possess the minimum requirement to stand for election which is a school certificate or its equivalent.

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According to him, there’s no evidence to support the claim that Mbah is not qualified to stand for the election.

On the issue of the plea bargain by Mbah, the tribunal averred that the exhibits presented by the petitioners did not show any plea bargain by the respondent.

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The tribunal also held that to prove the issue of forgery, the petitioner must provide the original certificate and the forged one.

The panel also resolved the issue that Mbah was not elected by the majority of votes cast against the petitioner.

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The panel averred that witnesses called by the petitioners could not specify the polling units where the elections were not held nor the results of the same.