The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has been asked to disqualify the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, from contesting in the governorship election for allegedly forging the certificate of birth he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for his clearance.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1430/3018 and filed on 26 November 26, 2018, the plaintiff, Elvis Chinda, submitted that, except an order is made to disqualify Wike from contesting the election scheduled for March, INEC, the first defendant, would not be in a position to enforce the violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), committed by Wike.
Meanwhile, Justice Inyang Ekwo has adjourned hearing of the substantive suit to February 6, after the plaintiff’s counsel, Achinike William-Wobodo, informed the court that INEC, which filed some processes, was not represented in court.
Counsel to Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ferdinard Orbih (SAN), had urged the court to take his preliminary objection challenging the suit. But plaintiff’s counsel opposed the submissions on the ground that the application was not ripe for hearing. He also said that the respondent’s objection should be taken after the substantive matter as it was filed out of time.
According to the document in court, Wike was alleged to have forged his certificate of birth and lied to INEC
The plaintiff averred that Wike breached the Constitution in his deposition titled: “Affidavit in Support of Personal Particulars of Persons Seeking Election to the Office/Membership of Governor (Form C.F. 001) on October 29, 2018, sworn to at the High Court registry, Port Harcourt, which he submitted to INEC on November 2, 2018, for the 2019 governorship election.”
He further averred that Wike’s certificate of birth (Statutory Declaration of Age) presented to INEC, purportedly deposed to on October 3, 1986, by one Collins Nyeme Wike had claimed that Nyesom Wike, at the time,
