Alleged certificate forgery: Benue Tribunal rejects rep member’s documents
The National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi has rejected a gazette tendered by the lawmaker representing Gwer/Gwer-West Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Mr Asema Achado, to remedy the discrepancies on the certificates he submitted to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC, the lawmaker is being challenged by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Mr Emmanuel Ukaa over alleged certificate forgery.
The authenticity of the lawmaker’s certificates is being challenged on the grounds that his secondary school certificate up to his Master of Science degree allegedly bore different names.
When the matter resumed the weekend, Mr Achado while being led in evidence by counsel to the APC, Innocent Daagba, moved to tender the gazette but Kenneth Ikonne, who is the counsel to the Petitioner objected to the tendering of the gazette on the grounds that it was not front-loaded.
Ikonne cited relevant sections of the Electoral Act and Evidence Act to support his argument that as respondents, “they ought to have front-loaded all documents that they will be relying on during the hearing.”
Daagba however countered Ikonne’s argument that “a gazette is a law and can be tendered without front loading.”
Ikonne in his counter-argument faulted the submission of Daagba and urged the court to dismiss the argument of the APC counsel.
Answering questions from Ukaa’s counsel, Achado while trying to explain the discrepancies in the names on his secondary school certificate, Interim Joint Matriculation Board, IJMB, certificate, and MSc he tendered to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, informed the court that at some various times, he was known as “Achado Alfred Augustine, Austin Alfred Achado, Achado Austine Asema”, adding that Austin was his baptism name, while Alfred was his confirmation name.
He further told the court that “Augustine and Austin are the same.”
Documents before the tribunal indicated that the West African Examination School Certificate, WAEC, submitted by Mr Achado in his INEC form EC-9 bore Achado Alfred Augustine.
His IJMB, bears Achado Augustine Alfred, while the MSc bears Austin Alfred Achado.
He didn’t state or attach his primary school certificate or first-degree certificate in his INEC form EC-9.
Also, his certificate of state of origin bore Achado Asema Austine, while his declaration of age had Austin Asema Achado, same with his INEC form EC-9.
The deed deposed to by Mr. Achado, dated September 30th, 2022, and filed before the tribunal, the House of Representatives member stated that sometime on March 7th, 2001, he swore to an affidavit and changed his name from Augustine Alfred Achado to Austin Alfred Achado.
Ruling on the objection, the three-member panel led by Justice Amina Aliyu agreed with the objection raised by Mr. Ikonne and rejected the application to tender the gazette.
The matter has been adjourned to July 11, 2023, for adoption of the final written address.
