The All Progressives Congress (APC) is reportedly worried by an order by Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court in Abuja for an accelerated hearing in a suit alleging forgery and perjury against the party’s presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari.
A non-governmental organisation, Global Center for Conscious Living Against Corruption, filed a suit asking for an order of mandamus to compel the inspector general of police to investigate allegations of forgery and perjury against Buhari, Vanguard reports.
The suit, with number FHC/ABJ/CS/172/2015 was filed by Professor Andrew Chukwuemerie, SAN.
Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate has been trailed by controversy
They are seeking an order of the court to compel police to investigate the “alleged acquisition and possession of the West African School Certificate by Gen. Muhammad Buhari at Provincial Secondary School, Katsina in view of non-production of the said School Certificate of certified true copy thereof”.
The court originating summons, supported by a 31-paragraph affidavit, sworn to by Joy Odoh, averred that the inspector general of police has an obligation under the Nigerian constitution to investigate allegations of forgery and lying on oath made against the APC presidential candidate and that the police had refused to do so despite repeated demands.
According to the group, the allegations of forgery and perjury were too weighty to be ignored by the police, which is obligated to investigate all allegations of crime.
A copy of a letter written by the Test Department of the National Office of the West African Examinations Council in Ghana states that Buhari’s name and records were not in its examinations archive thus suggesting that he was never a candidate for the examination set by the body. This was submitted as one of the exhibits.
The group accused Buhari of lying on oath, saying he ought to be tried for perjury when he declared in an affidavit submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission that his secondary school certificate was with the Military Board, a claim denied by the Board.
The plaintiffs are also asking the court to determine whether by virtue of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Police Act, the inspector general of police is not duty bound to investigate the allegations especially when the APC candidate has not submitted either an original copy or a certified true copy of his secondary school certificate to the INEC as required by law.
Subsequent upon the plaintiffs’ application, the court gave an order for an accelerated hearing and directed the inspector general of police to enter his defence within seven days.
The issue of Buhari’s certificate has generated a lot of controversy. With five days to the presidential election, the attempts to stop Buhari from contesting the election are gaining momentum. Several court cases have challenged his eligibility to participate in the forthcoming election.
The APC has maintained that the court cases are sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because the party is shaken by the emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential flag bearer.
On March 3 the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared the PDP presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan eligible to seek re-election in the polls.
The suit, with number FHC/ABJ/CS/172/2015 was filed by Professor Andrew Chukwuemerie, SAN.
Muhammadu Buhari’s certificate has been trailed by controversy
They are seeking an order of the court to compel police to investigate the “alleged acquisition and possession of the West African School Certificate by Gen. Muhammad Buhari at Provincial Secondary School, Katsina in view of non-production of the said School Certificate of certified true copy thereof”.
The court originating summons, supported by a 31-paragraph affidavit, sworn to by Joy Odoh, averred that the inspector general of police has an obligation under the Nigerian constitution to investigate allegations of forgery and lying on oath made against the APC presidential candidate and that the police had refused to do so despite repeated demands.
According to the group, the allegations of forgery and perjury were too weighty to be ignored by the police, which is obligated to investigate all allegations of crime.
A copy of a letter written by the Test Department of the National Office of the West African Examinations Council in Ghana states that Buhari’s name and records were not in its examinations archive thus suggesting that he was never a candidate for the examination set by the body. This was submitted as one of the exhibits.
The group accused Buhari of lying on oath, saying he ought to be tried for perjury when he declared in an affidavit submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission that his secondary school certificate was with the Military Board, a claim denied by the Board.
The plaintiffs are also asking the court to determine whether by virtue of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Police Act, the inspector general of police is not duty bound to investigate the allegations especially when the APC candidate has not submitted either an original copy or a certified true copy of his secondary school certificate to the INEC as required by law.
Subsequent upon the plaintiffs’ application, the court gave an order for an accelerated hearing and directed the inspector general of police to enter his defence within seven days.
The issue of Buhari’s certificate has generated a lot of controversy. With five days to the presidential election, the attempts to stop Buhari from contesting the election are gaining momentum. Several court cases have challenged his eligibility to participate in the forthcoming election.
The APC has maintained that the court cases are sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because the party is shaken by the emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential flag bearer.
On March 3 the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared the PDP presidential candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan eligible to seek re-election in the polls.
