The Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo has adjourned until Wednesday, Feb. 6, the hearing of the substantive suit seeking to disqualify Governor Nyesom Wike from contesting the Rivers state governorship election. The plaintiff, Elvis Chinda is seeking the disqualification of Wike from contesting the next month’s gubernatorial election for alleged forgery of certificate of birth which he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for his clearance.
According to the suit filed on November 26, 2018, Wike has violated the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended). Justice Ekwo last Friday adjourned hearing of the substantive suit after plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Achinike William-Wobodo, informed the court that INEC, who filed some processes, was not represented in Court.
Chief F. O. Orbih, counsel to Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had urged the court to take his preliminary objection challenging the suit, but, plaintiff counsel opposed the submissions on the ground that the application was not ripe for hearing.
According to the document in Court, Wike had forged his certificate of birth and lied to INEC to secure his nomination as the governorship candidate of the PDP for the forthcoming election in Rivers State. He further averred that Wike certificate of birth (Statutory Declaration of Age) attached to his Form C.F.001 presented to INEC, purportedly deposed to on the 3rd October 1986 by one Collins Nyeme Wike had claimed that Nyesom Wike, at the time of deposition is a native of Rumuepirikom in Obio / Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State and that the said certificate was forged.
“That as at 3rd October 1986 there was no local Government Area known as Obio /Akpor Local Government Area in existence in Rivers State as at 1986, Rumuepirikom was not in Obio /Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, but in Port Harcourt Local Government Area of Rivers State being the parent LGA from where Obio /Akpor Local Government Area was carved out”.
He said that Obio /Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State was created in 1989 by Decree No 12 of 1989, two years after the alleged forgery was committed and that the certificate of birth (Statutory Declaration of Age) was purported sworn to and issued at the High/Magistrate’s Court Registry, Port Harcourt but allegedly bears stamp of the Judiciary Probate Registry, Port Harcourt.
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