Candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) in May 30th, 2020 council election in Benue state, Akpoko Gabriel Ogbadu, has asked the Election Petition Tribunal to sack the winner of Obi local government election, Mrs. Erebe Agnes Uleko of People’s Democratic Party (PDP), over alleged certificate forgery.
He is praying the Local Government Election Petition Tribunal sitting at Otukpo, to nullify the return of Mrs. Erebe Agnes Uleko for the reason that she was not qualified to contest.
Akpoko and his party are further praying the tribunal to nullify the election and order for a fresh one on account that its conduct did not comply with the provisions of the local government electoral law and guidelines for the election, issued by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC).
In a final written address filed by Steve Ogbaji Idikwu, the petitioners submitted that education certificates filed by the PDP candidate contain falsehood as there was no such thing as Local Government Education Authority in 1976, the year Mrs. Erebe is said to have left primary school and that the College of Health Technology has failed to present requested documents before the tribunal, but only presented what was not referenced by the 1st respondent.
The petitioners said Mrs. Erebe’s qualifications as presented to BSIEC which claim that she attended LGEA Primary School Ito Town from 1970 to 1976 and certificate issued to her by Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) Oju Area Education Office in 1978 are false, insisting that there was no such thing as LGEA in the 1970s as the establishment of LGEA was effective 1st January, 1991vide Military Decree No. 3.
Besides, it is the argument of the petitioners that Oju LGA was created in 1976 and as such, there could not have been an Oju Area Education to have issued her the said certificate in 1978.
On ground two, the petitioners’ counsel submitted that contrary to the Benue State Electoral Law and the guidelines and timetable for elections as at 3:00Pm on Election Day, election materials were still at Obarike Ito, Obi local government headquarters and that throughout the LGA, there were no original results sheets distributed or used in the conduct of the said election in Obi local government area among other irregularities and urged the court to so hold.
Hon. Justice Mohammed, having listened to the submissions, reserved the matter for judgment on a date to be communicated to parties.
