Sokoto tribunal admits deputy gov’s primary school registers as evidence

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Sokoto has admitted the original and certified true copies of the primary school registers of the Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Idris Muhammad Gobir, which was tendered before it.

The counsels for the 1st and 2nd respondents (Governor Ahmed Aliyu and Gobir), Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Yusuf O. Ali (SAN), presented the said documents to the court against the previous one tendered by the counsels for the petitioners.

One of the defence counsels representing the 3rd respondent, Bashir Mu’azu Jodi, APC legal Adviser in Sokoto, said the school registers of the deputy governor tendered before the tribunal were that of primary 5A and Primary 6A and which was vehemently against the previous register tendered by the petitioners and that has no originality or existence in the name of the said school (Town Primary School, Sabon Birni).

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He added that the original school registers tendered by the 1st and 2nd respondents clearly exposed that the school register tendered by the petitioners did not emanate or exist from any school in Sabon Birni Local Government or anywhere in Sokoto State.

During the cross-examination of the witness, who is the Headmaster of Model Primary School Sabon Birni where the deputy governor attended, the petitioners counsels said there were anomalies in the school register tendered by the petitioners showing an alteration from 1982 to 1986 from the said register.

The lawyers said the concocted register showed nine sessions between 1986 to 1987 and same school class teacher from 1982 to 1986.

Jodi said the evidence of the Headmaster was unshakable and clearly vindicated the deputy governor from the allegations of forgery of a primary school certificate.

After heated debates between the lawyers of both parties, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Haruna Mshelia, admitted both the original and certified true copies of the primary school registers of the 2nd respondent (Gobir) in evidence and also marked it as an exhibit.

Justice Mshelia, therefore, adjourned the matter to August 26, 2023, for all the parties to file and adopt their final written addresses.

Umar Adam

The Star