Politics
Mbah Didn’t Forge NYSC Certificate, DSS Tells Tribunal
The Department of State Services (DSS) has debunked claims by the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) to the effect that the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election and incumbent governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, forged his NYSC discharge certificate.
The Service in a report tendered at the Enugu Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday also lampooned the NYSC for shoddy and hasty investigation in concluding that Mbah’s NYSC discharge certificate was fake, saying that certificates in Mbah’s series were found to have been issued to corps members in Lagos, contrary NYSC’s claim.
This claim was immediately countered by the Labour Party (LP), describing it as personal and not emanating from the DSS because it did not bear the letterhead and stamps of the Service.
The DSS had in a Statement on Oath adopted by its representative, Yahaya Isa Mohammed, at the ongoing Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Enugu, disclosed that the NYSC had misplaced Mbah’s original file and opened a temporary one for him, after he had returned from Law School to complete his NYSC.
Mohammed, who is the DSS Deputy Director, Operations and Strategic Department, was subpoenaed to give evidence in defense of Mbah’s NYSC certificate.
He noted that NYSC was also unable to trace to whom or which state or states of the federation 12 of its certificates, A808297 to A808308 were issued, adding that the security agency commenced investigation into the discharge certificate controversy following a petition to it by Dr. Mbah dated February 8, 2023.
He added that the Mbah’s NYSC certificate issue arose because the NYSC had issues with maintaining a proper record keeping system.
Mohammed said in their findings, they discovered the following:
“Mbah served for six months and went to Law School and later completed his youth service.
“We discovered that Peter brought application from Law School through the Lagos State NYSC office to national headquarters.
“The correspondence has a reference number: and the letter was replied permitting him to go to law school. After his Law School, he reapplied through the same means for reinstatement to complete his service
“We discovered a temporary file was used for reference. That means his initial file could not be traced.
“NYSC provided the six-series certificate which was signed and collected by corps members and the eight series
“We discovered that the numbers are in series. But NYSC could not account for 12 certificates among which includes Mbah’s certificate”.
However, during cross examination, LP lead counsel, Chief Adegoke Awomolo (SAN), observed that the report presented by the DSS official did not come with the letterhead and stamps of the security agency as against the normal practice, and sought to know the reason from Mohammed, to which he responded that his signature sufficed.
Also, when asked why he did not come to the court with authorizing letter or directive by the director general of the DSS, Mohammed said he appeared in court because of the subpoena.
Furthermore, when the DSS official was asked why the report he presented did not have attached documents backing his statement, he also answered that they were in his office.
When he was asked if his investigation revealed that Mbah became the Chief of Staff to the then governor of Enugu State, Chimaraoke Nnamani between July 10, 2003 and November 2003, the same period he was supposed to be serving as corps member, Mohammed said no, adding that it was not within his purview to investigate that.
Earlier, the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), on Wednesday, failed to present any witness to defend the allegation by candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Chijioke Edeoga, that the 2023 governorship election that produced Peter Mbah as governor was manipulated.
The tribunal had resumed its proceedings to enable the electoral body to call its first witness to justify its declaration of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the governorship election that held on March 18.
However, when the case was called up for hearing, INEC, through its team of lawyers led by Humphrey Okoli, told the court that the commission had 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”.
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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