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SouthEast Bishops Declare Enugu Governor-Elect Unfit, Ask Police to Arrest Him for Forgery
Three days after the Southeast Zone of the Network of Evangelical Bishops of Nigeria (NEBN) accused the Enugu state branch of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being composed of “a tiny band of buccaneers” planning to “kidnap the finances of the state”, it has described the party’s gubernatorial candidate in the March 18 election, Peter Mbah, as unfit for public office.
“Mbah is fast gaining the reputation of a forger and blackmailer”, declared the bishops in a statement in Enugu today in reference to the National Youth Service Corps Discharge Certificate A808297 purportedly signed on January 6, 2003.
The NYSC director general, Brigadier General Yushau Dogara Ahmed, was on Arise Television on Friday morning to mark the organisation’s 50th anniversary and used the opportunity to refute the claim that the discharge certificate Mbah submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (NYSC) emanated from it.
The police should arrest Mbah immediately and prosecute him for forgery, according to the NEBN.
“He is not a fit and proper person to hold public office, let alone the exalted office of the Enugu State governor”, they stated.
“The NYSC DG has corroborated the statement by the NYSC Director of Certification, Alhaji Ibrahim A. Muhammadu, on February 1, 2023, that the certificate is false and forged”, said the bishops in the statement signed by their president, Bishop Samuel Ani, and the acting secretary, Bishop Emmanuel Eneh.
Mbah had on May 15 obtained an ex parte order from Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja to stop the NYSC from testifying on the authenticity of the discharge certificate and has even announced a N20bn libel suit against the NYSC for its position that the certificate is not genuine.
“Only a pathological liar, forger, and blackmailer would have the audacity to announce to sue the NYSC for N20b for telling the truth which everyone knows”, the religious leaders observed.
“Only a person with integrity can sue for libel where he or she will prove that his reputation has been tarnished by a publication.
“A forger has no reputation to protect and, therefore, does not have the grounds to sue for libel or slander”.
The bishops continued: “The PDP candidate is merely striking postures meant to cow the public institutions and our society at large, so that he can find himself into Government House on May 29 and begin to use the state resources and apparatus brazenly to barricade himself against the long arms of the law”.
On January 13, 2020, as David Lyon of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was preparing to be sworn in the next day as the Bayelsa State governor, the Supreme Court passed a judgment shattering his ambition because it was discovered that his deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremioye, had presented false documents to the INEC.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s first Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, was forced to resign on September 14, 2018, after it was reported that she presented a forged NYSC Discharge Certificate in her curriculum vitae (CV).
“Mbah can run, but can’t hide”, said the bishops who reiterated their position that “he is not the Enugu State governor-elect because he did not win.
“Hiring an almost countless number of the most paid Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from different parts of the country with resources of the Enugu State people to intimidate the judiciary in the name of representing him at the Election Petitions tribunal can’t help him.
“The Enugu people voted overwhelmingly for the Labour Party, the party that defeated Mbah’s foremost backer, Governor Ifeanyi Lawrence Ugwuanyi, in his polling booth, polling unit, and local government area when the outgoing governor sought to be voted into the Senate on February 25 on the PDP platform”.
The bishops also took a swipe at Justice Inyang Ekwo for granting Mbah the ex parte motion stopping the NYSC from testifying against the PDP candidate’s credentials and asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to punish the judge.
“An ex parte order can be granted only in an emergency, but Nigerians are unable to see the emergency which prompted the order in this case”, they stated.
“For failing to heed the counsel by different Chief Justices in Nigeria over the years against granting frivolous injunctions, the National Judicial Council needs to remove people like Justice Inyang immediately from the Bench in the overriding national interest”.
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expanded to another level, as the Senator Samuel Anyanwu–led National Working Committee (NWC) announced the counter-suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Umar Damagum, citing alleged incompetence, misappropriation of party funds, and pursuit of personal interests.
Ohibaba noted that those who were also suspended are the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and the Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja, among others.
According to Senator Anyanwu, all the suspended officers will be referred to the party’s disciplinary committee for further action.
The announcement by Anyanwu comes shortly after the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced his suspension as the party’s National Secretary by the NWC.
Others suspended alongside Anyanwu are the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organizing Secretary, Umaru Bature for one month.
The suspension comes on the heels of the judgement of the Federal High Court On Friday, which stopped the party’s planned national convention.
Ologunagba had told journalists in Abuja on Saturday that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the national working committee, which was held in Abuja.
He noted that the suspended party officials have been referred to the National Disciplinary Committee.
He said that during this period of the suspension, they cease to function in their respective capacities.
According to him, in the case of the National Secretary, Pursuant to Section 36(2) of the PDP Constitution as amended in 2017, the Deputy National Secretary, Hon. Arc. Setonji Koshoedo shall act as the National Secretary.
He added that in the case of the National Legal Adviser and the Deputy National Legal Adviser, the National Director of Legal Services has been directed to oversee the activities of the Department.
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has suspended the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organizing Secretary, Umaru Bature for one month following a court ruling that halted the party’s planned national convention.
Disclosing this while addressing the press, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the decision followed an emergency NWC meeting held on Saturday at the party’s office, Legacy House, located in Maitama, Abuja.
He stated that, “The NWC, in line with the party’s constitution, came to the following conclusion: the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and National Organizing Secretary have been suspended for one month and referred to the PDP Disciplinary Committee.”
Details later….
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to religious freedom amid the allegation of genocide against Christians in the country by the Donald Trump administration.
In a statement he personally signed and shared by Bayo Onanuga his spokesman,Tinubu said his administration had since 2023, maintained open and active engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders to strengthen national unity and address security challenges affecting communities across the country.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality. Nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” Tinubu said.
He reiterated that religious freedom and tolerance have long been “a core tenet of our collective identity,” adding that Nigeria “opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.
”Tinubu emphasised that his government remains committed to working closely with the United States and other international partners “to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths.
”Read the full statement below:
Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.
The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.
Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.
Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.
Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.
BOLA AHMED TINUBUPRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
BREAKING: Anyanwu-Led PDP NWC Announces Counter-Suspension Of Damagum, Others
BREAKING: PDP suspends Anyanwu, National Legal Adviser, 2 others
Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom – Tinubu replies Trump
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