BEVERLY HILLS, March 18, (THEWILL) – The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Thursday upheld the ruling of the Federal High Court, which dismissed the certificate forgery suit instituted by the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on his eligibility to contest the 2020 gubernatorial election in the state.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had in a judgment delivered by Justice Ahmed Mohammed, held that the APC failed to by way of credible evidence, discharge the burden of proof placed on them by the law.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, a three- member panel of Justices, Stephen Adah, Justice Ige and Mohammed Mustapha, the Appeal Court ruled that the lower court has not made any mistake and that the APC and its witnesses failed to prove that the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, have forged his certificate.
The three Justices held that the judgment of the lower court is apt and very clear, noting that the appellant performed abysmally to prove any case against the governor.
The court therefore dismissed the appeal, noting that it was unmeritorious. “The findings of the lower court cannot be faulted”, it added.
The Court awarded the cost of Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N250,000) to be paid to the 1st Respondent and Fifty Thousand Naira (50,000) each to the 2nd and 3rd respondents.
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