Tribunal Affirms Gov. Peter Mbah’s Election

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu State has upheld the election of Governor Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party in the March 18 governorship election.

The three-member panel of the tribunal led by Justice Kudirat Murayo dismissed the petitions of the Labour Party and its candidate, Chijioke Edeoga, insisting that they could not prove their petitions.

In dismissing the petitioners’ petition, the tribunal declared that the National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate is not a qualification to contest a governorship election.

Edeoga is challenging the return of Mbah as duly elected governor of Enugu state on grounds of submitting a forged NYSC discharge certificate, over voting, among others.

However, delivering judgement on Thursday on the petition, the tribunal struck out the forgery of the NYSC certificate case, saying “NYSC discharge Certificate is not a qualification for governorship.”

The court queried “Assuming that the NYSC discharge certificate of the second Respondent as claimed by the Petitioners was forged, is the NYSC Certificate a qualification to contest for Governor in Nigeria according to the constitution? The answer is no.”