Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state has been dragged before a Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of certificate forgery.
The plaintiffs, Edobor Williams, Ugbesia Abudu Godwin, and Amedu Dauda Anakhu, have accused the governor of forging his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Certificate in Classical Studies from the University of Ibadan.
According to the suit filed by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the offense goes against Section 182(1)(i) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999,.
The plaintiffs noted that the offence, therefore, makes Obaseki “not qualified to run or seek the office of the governor of Edo state” in the September 9 governorship election.
However, reacting to the allegation, lawyer to the governor, Alex Ejesieme, described the suit as frivolous and irrelevant. He said the defence team is preparing the reply to challenge the plaintiffs in court next week.
This suit is coming days after a Federal High Court in Abuja stopped Obaseki from arresting and prosecuting his predecessor and the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.
The Edo state government had sued Oshiomhole for breach of the state’s public procurement law during the construction of the Edo specialist hospital and supply of equipment for the hospital, while he was governor of the state.
The party in the state has been split into two factions since last year, following the crisis between Obaseki and Oshiomhole.
