By Wisdom Nwedene, Abuja
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah is really in trouble. YES. In a very big trouble. You might ask why? Take your time as I put you through in what you may not know about the current new Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah.
Peter Mbah has been battling with court cases. This is not just being dragged to court because of rigging of election result. NO AND NEVER. Peter Mbah’s academic certificate is in question.
To get the full incident, I have decided to put you through how he is in trouble.
Enugu Governor, Peter Mbah recently prayed to a Federal High Court, Abuja to commit the Director-General (DG) of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, to prison for disobeying court order on the certificate issued to him.
Mbah, in the suit alleged that the NYSC DG flouted the order of the court made on May 15, restraining him from issuing, publishing or continue to issue, publish disclaimer to the effect that the certificate of national service dated Jan. 6, 2003, with certificate number: A.808297 issued to him was not issued by the corps.
Mbah sought to commit the NYSC DG to court in a Form 49 filed through his lawyer, Emeka Ozoani, SAN, before Justice Inyang Ekwo,dated and filed June 22.
It was filed in accordance with Order IX, Rule 13, Judgment Enforcement Rules of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, CAP. S6, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“The plaintiff apply to this court for an order for your committal to prison for having disobeyed the order of this court,” it read in part.
In the Form 48 attached to the application, it read: ‘Take notice that unless you obey the directions contained in this order, you will be quilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
Although the matter was scheduled for last week (Friday) for motion, the court did not sit that week.
Consequently, the case was adjourned until July 4.
NYSC Finally Testifies Against Enugu Governor Peter Mbah At Governorship Tribunal.
On Friday, the Labour Party commenced its evidence against the election of Barr Peter Mbah as the governor of Enugu State.
The case filed by LP and its candidate, Barr Chijioke Edeoga came up for hearing at the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
At the resumed hearing, the LP presented the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, as its first witness.
This is coming after Justice Inyang Ekwo failed to grant a restraining injunction against the NYSC, the Service has finally appeared in Enugu Governorship Election Tribunal to testify against the governor to the effect that the certificate he’s parading did not originate from them.
Similarly, the Law Firm that initiated the investigation into Mbah’s NYSC certificate was also in court to submit the letter they wrote to NYSC.
The law firm also submitted Peter Mbah’s appointment Letter as Chief of Staff to Governor Chimaroke Nnamani in July 2003; a time the claimed he was doing his NYSC.
Among the documents tendered by the NYSC are the alleged forged discharge certificate, as well as the original discharge certificate which Mbah ought to have collected, as well as a letter written by Oma and Partners, an Abuja-based law firm, which had asked the Corps to scrutinise the discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, by the governor.
The Petitioners, represented by Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, who is the lead counsel, alongside Dr. Valerie Azinge, SAN, Ifeanyi Ogenyi Esq, and others, led the Petitioners Witness 1 (PW1) in evidence.
Also note that witness’s letter to INEC, as well as the reply given by INEC was sought to be tendered by the petitioners’ counsel amid objections from the respondents’ counsel.
However, the letters, as well as the discharged certificate were admitted and marked as exhibits PTC/01/11 a, b & c respectively.
Also, a letter addressed to the presiding justice of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, for the production of the appointment letter dated 14 July 2003, appointing Barr. Peter Mbah as the Chief of Staff to the then governor of Enugu state, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani in the same year he (Mbah) claimed he was serving, also admitted in evidence amidst objections and marked as exhibit PTC/01/13 a&b.
During the cross examination, the 1st respondent’s counsel, Mr. Abdul Mohammed, applying for the subpoena, asked “confirm to this tribunal that the subpoena did not ask you about anything at the Federal High court”.
In response, PW2 said ” True”.
Mr. Abdul Mohammed further asked the PW2: “Confirm to this tribunal that you have given to the petitioners the contents of these letters at the time they were preparing this petition”.
In reply, the PW2 said, “It’s false, the letters are public documents which are in the public domain. Anybody can ask for the letters and they will be given to him.
The matter was adjourned to Tuesday, 11 July, 2023 for further hearing.
With the evidence tendered in court already by NYSC and Labour Party Governorship candidate in Enugu State, it’s crystal clear that Peter Mbah is in trouble. A big one.
