By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
Court-embattled Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, begins his defence in an Abuja court as two university professors, Emmanuel Dele Balogun and Maikano Asekomhe, testified and tendered exhibits on Monday against him in the alleged certificate forgery suit instituted against him by the All Progressive Congress APC.
The varsity dons who graduated at the University of Ibadan along with Obaseki tendered original copies of their degree certificates for the Federal High Court in Abuja to compare and contrast in order to arrive at a just conclusion in the suit.
Professor Balogun, now with the University of Lagos, who first testified against Obaseki graduated in Agricultural Economics at the University of Ibadan in 1979, the same year the governor claimed to have also graduated.
Professor Asekomhe graduated from the same University in 1978 after reading Banking and Finance and currently works with Benson Idahosa University in Benin, Edo state.
Led in evidence by APC counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi SAN, the duo faulted the entry qualifications of three credits in Ordinary Level WAEC and two credits in Advanced Level allegedly used by Obaseki to gain direct entry admission to the University in 1976.
According to them, such lower qualifications were never allowed for direct entry for admission to the University.
Although they doubted the validity of Obaseki ‘s certificate, the two Professors however, stunned the court when they admitted that they have never seen the disputed certificate in their life.
Under cross examination by Chief Ken Mozia SAN, the two varsity dons admitted that they were not competent in law to make comments on the certificate they have never seen.
They further admitted that they have never worked at the admission department of the University of Ibadan and that their evidence based on the photocopy of documents made available to them by the APC.
Obaseki, who has been in the eyes of the storm over the alleged certificate forgery, at the Federal High Court, Abuja, opened his defense.
The APC and one of its chieftains, Mr Edobor Williams had dragged Obaseki to court for allegedly forging his university certificate he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of his educational qualification.
Other defendants in the suit are the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
Justice Ahmed Ramat Mohammed on Monday adjourned hearing in the suit to Tuesday for Obaseki who is one of the defendants to open his defense, shortly after the APC closed its case after calling six witnesses amongst whom are two Professors who graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1978 and 1979.
The court had at its last sitting on Thursday December 31, 2020, adjourned to Monday for the cross examination of the fourth plaintiffs’ witness, one Raphael Onwuzuligbo, a retired Police officer and a forensic document examiner.
At Monday’s hearing, Onwuzuligbo told the court how he was engaged by one Faithful Steward to examine some documents relating to the certificate of Governor Obaseki been contested.
During cross examination he admitted not knowing the origin of the documents sent to him for examination but stated that the documents are Certified True Copy (CTC) on Obaseki’s certificates.
He said his findings showed that there is a difference in the certificate of one of the witness, Dr Emmanuel Balogun and that of Obaseki.
He however said he does not know if INEC issue certificate belonging to the University of Ibadan.
The fifth and sixth witnesses, Mr Gabriel Iduseri and Maikano Asekomhe in their testimonies also claimed that Obaseki forged his university of Ibadan certificate going by alleged discrepancies in the CTC documents they said they obtained from INEC.
Iduseri who claimed to be the current Caretaker South South Zonal Youth leader of the APC however admitted that he has never seen Obaseki’s original UI certificate.
He also stated that his allegations were based on photocopies from INEC.
Similarly, Asekomhe, who claimed to be a Professor of Banking and Finance at the Benson Idahosa University, Benin, Edo State, while admitting he never saw Obaseki’s original said based on that fact he cannot comment on Obaseki’s certificate.
He however tendered his original Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics he obtained from UI in 1978 to support his forgery allegations against the governor.
At the end of cross examination of the 6th witness, lead counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Akin Olujimi, SAN, informed the court that his clients are through with their case and will want to close it.
The judge accordingly ordered closure of the plaintiffs case and ordered the first defendant Obaseki to open his case and adjourned the matter to Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Justice Mohammed in a judgment delivered on Monday evening struck the case of the National Rescue Movement against the nomination of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and AbdulGaniyu Daudu as Governor and deputy governorship candidates respectively of the APC in the September 19 governorship election in Edo State.
The court held that the case has become an academic exercise as election had been conducted, winners emerged and Ize-Iyamu and Daudu are not challenging the polls outcome at the ongoing election petition tribunal in Edo State.