Alleged Forgery: PDP Asks Court To Disqualify Gombe Governor Yahaya, Deputy

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Gombe State governorship candidate, Muhammad Barde, are asking the Federal High Court Abuja, to disqualify the Gombe State Governor, Mohammed Yahaya, and his deputy, Jatau Daniel, from contesting in the 2023 elections for allegedly submitting forged certificates.

In an originating summons filed on their behalf by two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Arthur Okafor, and Johnson Usman, the plaintiffs relied on a series of Supreme Court decisions that Inuwa and his deputy, having deposed to FORMS EC-9, which constitutes certificates, and making a false statement in it, amounts to submitting forged certificates which is a disqualifying ground under Sections 177(d) and 182(1J) of the 1999 Constitution (as Amended).

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In the court processes, the plaintiffs allege that the Deputy Governor bears multiple names in all his educational certificates without a deed poll and any valid change of name attached to his Form EC-9 submitted to INEC.

“That 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 Governor stated again on oath via his INEC FORM EC-9 that he worked with the same A.Y.U. & Co. Ltd from 1985 – 2003,” the advocates said.

According to the Plaintiffs, the Deputy Governor, who claimed to have worked with the Nigeria Army from August 1979 to July 1980, submitted an NYSC discharge certificate that stated that he commenced his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in August 1979 and completed the same in July 1979.

The plaintiffs also contended that from paragraph D of the Deputy Governor’s INEC Form EC-9; he claimed to have worked with the Nigerian Army from July 1979 till August 1980 and his reason for leaving in July 1980, was for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The plaintiffs argued that FORM EC-9 being an affidavit on oath, both the Governor and his Deputy, are not qualified to contest the election, thereby urging the court to disqualify them.

No date has been given for the hearing of the case.