Court grants request to arrest APC senator

An Abuja Federal High Court has granted an application by Anti-Corruption and Integrity Forum (ACIF) seeking the arrest of Anambra senator, Andy Uba.

Uba who recently decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been enmeshed in several court cases in recent times.

This time, the court approved an order seeking to compel the attorney general of the federation and the inspector general of police to arrest and prosecute Senator Uba over allegation of certificate forgery.

Justice Binta Nyako who delivered the ruling also granted the exparte application before the court filed by the civil society organisation through its lawyer, Amobi Nzelu.

The organisation said it is important for the court to compel the AGF, IGP to exercise its constitutional powers under S174(1) of the 1999 constitution by commencing the proceedings against Uba.

In an affidavit in support of the motion on notice, deposed to, by one Ikechukwu Godswill, the deponent said that on April 24, 2017, the law firm of Anthony Agbolahor wrote a letter to the IGP on behalf of Victor Uwajeh‎, regarding the alleged fake West African Examination Council Certificate of the Senator.

Godswill said based on the directive, the office of the DIG, wrote a letter to the registrar of WAEC to confirm the authenticity of the certificate.

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"That the West African Examination Council responded to the said letter wherein it stated clearly that the certificate was not issued from their office. The said response from West African‎ examination Council is attached and marked exhibit D.

"That based on the said response from the Registrar of the West African Examination Council, the deputy inspector general of police Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) through the office of the Senate President, requesting senator Emmanuel Nnammdi Ubah a.k.a Andy Ubah to see him for interview on the 31th of August 2017. The said letter is attached and marked exhibit E.

"That the said interview never held due to the intervening circumstances arising from the letter written by the 1st respondent to the Deputy Inspector General of Police force criminal intelligence and investigating department on the matter," the affadavit said.

The exhibits attached to the application include an alleged forged WAEC certificate, letter of the police to WAEC to confirm the authenticity of the social certificate with number SC544753 linked to examination number:05465089 and response from WAEC stating that the certificate was not issued by them.