• He didn’t forge NYSC certificate, says DSS report
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, closed its case on the Enugu governorship election, failing to present any witness to defend allegation by the candidate of Labour Party (LP), Chijioke Edeoga, that the election that produced Peter Mbah, as governor, was manipulated.

The Commission, earlier on Tuesday, failed to present a witness, blaming transport issues. However, at the resumed hearing, yesterday, the electoral body also failed to produce a witness to justify declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Mbah, the winner of the election on March 18.

When the case was called for hearing, INEC, through its team of lawyers, led by Humphrey Okoli, told the court that the Commission decided not to bring any witness.

Okoli said: “The first respondent, INEC, is mandated to open the case. My Lord, after a thorough review of the case, we have decided not to bring in any witness.”

Counsel for PDP and Mbah, Benjamin Nwosu, did not oppose INEC. Meanwhile, the party, which was expected to open its case, yesterday, said it would call about nine witnesses.

Nwosu, therefore, asked the court to give PDP a two-hour extension, relying on the fact that the party has four days to defend its case. He said: “We are inclined to open our case today (yesterday). However, we will need two hours to present our witnesses.”

Edeoga’s legal team, led by Adegboyega Awomolo, did not oppose the application for an adjournment. Consequently, the tribunal deferred the case for two hours to enable PDP produce its first witness.

MEANWHILE, the Department of State Services (DSS), yesterday, contradicted its claims that Mbah forged his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate.

It told the Governorship Election Tribunal in Enugu that NYSC was hasty in concluding that Mbah’s certificate was fake, stressing that it was found to have emanated from scheme.

However, the Labour Party has countered the report, describing it as “personal and not emanating from the DSS, because it did not bear the letterhead and stamps of the security agency.

The DSS had, in a statement on oath, adopted by its representative, Yahaya Isa Mohammed, at the ongoing Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Enugu, disclosed that NYSC had misplaced Mbah’s original file and opened a temporary one for him, after he returned from Law School to complete his service year.

Mohammed was subpoenaed to give evidence in defense of Mbah’s NYSC certificate saga. He noted that NYSC was also unable to trace the state or states of the federation from where 12 of its certificates, A808297 to A808308, were issued. He added that the security agency commenced investigation into the discharge certificate controversy, following a petition by Dr. Mbah, dated February 8, 2023. Mohammed disclosed that the certificate issue arose because NYSC didn’t have a proper record keeping system.