Kogi Election: Court Disqualifies Wada For Certificate Forgery

The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja on Wednesday has disqualified the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16 Kogi governorship election, Engr Musa Wada, over certificate forgery.

Justice D. U. Okorowo of the Federal High Court, delivering judgment on the suit filed by Femi Peter, a public interest litigator, in Lokoja on Wednesday, disqualified Musa Wada from contesting in the 16th November 2019 Kogi State gubernatorial election.

In a swift reaction, the Kogi State Peoples Democratic Party and its Governorship Candidate in the November 16 Election Engineer Musa Wada vowed to appeal the judgement of the Federal High Court.

The party in a statement signed by Achadu Dickson, Director Research and Documentation, said the judgement is only aimed at distracting the party and its candidate because of the APC fear of losing in the Tribunal.

According to the party, the APC is afraid of losing in the Tribunal as such it is looking for all means possible to obtain a judgement that would give them a soft landing.

The PDP assured that it is perturbed by the Federal high court ruling, urged its members to disregard attempt to create disaffection amongst the ranks of the PDP.

Continuing, Justice D. U. Okorowo of the Federal High Court, delivering judgement on the suit filed by Femi Peter, a public interest litigator, in Lokoja on Wednesday, disqualified Musa Wada from contesting in the 16th November 2019 Kogi State gubernatorial election.

By the ruling, the PDP did not participate or have a qualified candidate at the 2019 governorship election in Kogi state.

The suit filed by Femi Peter, a lawyer and citizen of Kogi state, sought amongst other prayers an order disqualifying Musa Atayi Wada, the PDP candidate on November 16, 2019, Kogi gubernatorial election, from contesting the election having presented false information/ false document to INEC in support of his candidacy.

It was alleged that Musa Wada forged the Certificate of Primary Education which he presented to INEC together with his Form CF001. It was also alleged that he presented false information on oath when he stated in his Form CF001 submitted to INEC that he had never presented a forged certificate to INEC.

In proof of his claims, the Plaintiff supplied letters written by both Kwara and Kogi State Ministries of Education confirming that Wada’s Certificate of Primary Education was not authentic.

Also supplied were sample certificates issued in the same 1973 which showed clearly that Musa Wada’s certificate bore no semblance in content and character, including serial number, as those genuinely issued by the Ministry of Education, Kwara State in 1973.

Justice D.U Okorowo, after analysing the avalanche of evidence provided by the plaintiff, holding that the plaintiff has proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the Certificate of Primary Education of Musa Itayi Wada was a forged/false document and that he lied in his form CF001 when he answered “NO” to the question whether he had ever presented a forged certificate to INEC.

Consequently, the Court pursuant to Section 31(5) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) amongst other reliefs granted, disqualified Musa Atayi Wada from contesting in the 16th November 2019 Kogi State Gubernatorial Election.

By the ruling, the PDP did not participate or have a qualified candidate at the 2019 governorship election in Kogi state. The suit filed by Femi Peter, a lawyer and citizen of Kogi state, sought amongst other prayers an order disqualifying Musa Atayi Wada, the PDP candidate on November 16, 2019, Kogi gubernatorial election, from contesting the election having presented false information/ false document to INEC in support of his candidacy.

It was alleged that Musa Wada forged the Certificate of Primary Education which he presented to INEC together with his Form CF001. It was also alleged that he presented false information on oath when he stated in his Form CF001 submitted to INEC that he had never presented a forged certificate to INEC.