The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) subpoena witness, Mr Victor Ude, on Thursday tendered Gov Peter Mbah’s NYSC letters of redeployment, deferment and reinstatement to continue his NYSC programme after completing his part two in Law school.
Ude tendered the documents before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal hearing the petition filed by Mr Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party (LP) against the election of Gov. Mbah of the PDP in Enugu.
Edeoga is praying the tribunal to disqualify Mbah over alleged forgery of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate and manipulation of election results.
Ude also tendered Mbah’s final clearance letter after completing his NYSC programme, among others.
The LP lead counsel, Mr Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the document, saying he would give his reasons in their final address.
The Tribunal however, admitted the document as evidence.
During cross examination, the witness said that there was a letter from the NYSC that reinstated Mbah after his deferment.
The witness said that he wrote the letters to the NYSC and got reply as well.
Ude said he was not aware of the Inspector General of Police (I-G) reply on the investigation of the NYSC on March 2023.
The lead counsel of the LP said that there was no evidence of delivery and acknowledgment of the letters from NYSC that were presented by the witness.
“As a Lawyer, you know the importance of delivery and acknowledgement of official letters to government departments,” he said.
Awomolo said that by the witness letter, Mbah was to conclude his NYSC Sept. 16, 2003 as he was in the office of the governor of Enugu State as the Chief of Staff in August 2003.
He said that in 2007, the EFCC charged the subpoenaed witness with Mbah for money laundering at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Tendering the charge with case file number FH/C/09/07, the respondents’ counsels, Mr Bode Ola, SAN, counsel to Gov. Peter Mbah, the PDP counsel, Mr Anthony Ani, SAN, and Humphrey Okoli of the INEC objected to the admissibility of the document and said they would articulate their reasons in their final addresses.
The Tribunal admitted the document as an evidence.
The Chairman of the three-member Tribunal, Justice M.K Akano adjourned the sitting until Aug. 16 for adoption of final written addresses after the PDP counsel closed its defence. (NAN)
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