The Permanent Secretary, Sokoto State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Schools Education, on Wednesday tendered before the Kebbi Governorship Election Tribunal a mock examination document to prove that the Kebbi Deputy Governor, Sen. Abubakar Umar, attended Sultan Abubakar Teachers’ College, Sokoto.
It could be recalled that the PDP governorship candidate in Kebbi state, retired Maj-Gen. Bande Aminu, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), as 1st and 2nd Plaintiffs, filed a petition before the tribunal sitting in Birnin Kebbi, challenging the outcome of the 2023 governorship election as well as the authenticity of the deputy governor’s college certificate.
The case is between the first and second plaintiffs vs INEC, Kebbi Governor, Dr Nasir Idris; his deputy (Umar); and All Progressives Congress (APC), as 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents, respectively.
The permanent secretary, represented by the Director Exams, Mr Mustapha Musa, told the tribunal that he was before the panel on behalf of his principal on the tribunal’s subpoena.
Musa stated that the document presented followed the court’s subpoena they received ordering them to produce a broad sheet the college used for mock examination of 1979, among other documents.
The tribunal Chairman, Justice Ofem Ofem, after admitting the document tendered and evidence of the subpoenaed witnesses, adjourned the hearing to Thursday for continuation.
Speaking with newsmen shortly after the court session, counsel to the 3rd respondent, Kehinde Elijah SAN, said the subpoenaed witnesses document tendered showed that the testimonial issued to the deputy governor and mock result were properly issued.
“What transpired today in the court is the continuation of defense of the 3rd respondent, that is the deputy governor of Kebbi state.
“And of course, one of the witnesses was cross examined, the representative of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Schools Education, Sokoto, who tendered the document.
“Thereafter, we called also on an official, Acting Director, who at some point was a Sole Administrator/Principal of the Sultan Abubakar College, Sokoto, and that person confirmed that the testimonial of His Excellency, deputy governor of Kebbi state was properly issued.
“He also identified His Excellency’s mock examination result, confirming that His Excellency duly registered and he also tendered broad results sheet of those that sat for mock examination,” he said.
Also, the Lead counsel to the petitioners, Ibrahim Bawa SAN, said: “we are not objecting to the copy of the subpoena tendered before the court that gave the witnesses the power to come to the court, but we are objecting to the admissibility of the document tendered by both subpoenaed witnesses.
“We shall state our reasons on the final written address.”
