Court nullifies PDP Rep-elect's election for certificate forgery

An Abuja Federal High Court has overturned the election of a Benue Rep-elect, Christian Abah, after it was found that he forged a Diploma of the Polythecnic, Mubi.

The presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, held that the allegation of certificate forgery against Abah by the plaintiff Hassan Saleh, was true having been established by an election tribunal in 2011.

He also said that the certificate Abbah presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was confirmed forged in a letter by the Registrar of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Suleiman Buba.

The judge however declared Saleh as winner of the election having invalidated Abah's candidacy.

He ordered INEC to issue a fresh certificate of return to Saleh, who had aspired for the position in the primary election before the PDP declared Abah unopposed.

The court also ordered the incoming Speaker of the ‎8th National Assembly to swear in Saleh as the member representing Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal ‎Constituency.

Ademola also ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to immediately commence prosecution of Abah for the crimes of forgery and perjury.

Saleh had challenged Abah’s eligibility to stand for the election on the ground that he forged an Ordinary National Diploma in Accountancy purportedly obtained from the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, in 1985.