Court Struck Out Obaseki Certificate Forgery Lawsuit

The lawsuit seeking the disqualification of Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo, from the upcoming governorship election in the state for alleged forgery has been struck out by Justice Anwuli Chikere of the federal high court Abuja.

Edobor Williams, Ugesia Godwin and Amedu Anakhu had filed the case alleging that the governor Obaseki had forged his academic certificate.

When the case came up on Monday (Today), neither the legal representatives of Obaseki’s accusers nor the governor’s showed up.

Anwuli Chikere, the judge, subsequently, struck out the case.

Explaining why they withdrew the suit, lawyers to Edobor Williams and others said that they withdrew the case because they had accomplished their mission, which was to prevent Obaseki from being fielded as APC Governorship candidate for September 19.

Obaseki was disqualified from the primary by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) before he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on which platform he is seeking reelection.

In a statement by Shores and Savana, the legal representatives to Edobor Williams and others, the plantiffs further said:

‘’It would be recalled that the plaintiffs were opposed to APC nominating Godwin Obaseki as its gubernatorial candidate for
the September 19, Governorship Election for Edo State on account of Mr. Obaseki’s inconsistent educational history, false credentials and forged Affidavit.

‘’These were the same reasons for which APC eventually disqualified Godwin Obaseki from participating in the APC Gubernatorial primaries of 22/6/2020 to the satisfaction of the plaintiffs.

‘’The plaintiffs therefore voluntarily filed a Notice of Discontinuance of the said suit having achieved their objective of stopping APC from sponsoring Godwin Obaseki.

The case, suit No FHC/ABJ/CS /553/20 Edobor Williams and others VS APC & Obaseki, is hereby withdrawn from the Federal High Court, Abuja, by us the plaintiffs who are APC members..

The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) had confirmed that Obaseki graduated from the institution.

Olubunmi Faluyi, the registrar of the university, said the governor attended and graduated from the institution in a statement on June 10.

“Mr Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, the Governor of Edo State graduated from the University of Ibadan where he studied Classics,” the statement read.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) had disqualified Obaseki from its primary governorship election for Edo over an alleged ”defective” certificate, paving the way for Osagie Ize-Iyamu to be the party’s standard bearer.

Obaseki left the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where he emerged governorship candidate unopposed.

The Edo governorship election is scheduled for September 19.