A Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has dismissed the case of falsification of certificates and forgery brought against Uno Eno the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) by Akan Okon, a former member of the state executive council.
Okon who contested the party’s governorship primary had dragged Umo Eno before the court alleging that he had forged his certificates, his date of birth and his voter’s card
But The court presided over by Agatha Okeke struck out the case for lack of merit and awarded N15 million cost against Okon in favour of Umo Eno, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were defendants in the case.
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The court held that all the claims by the plaintiff were based on assumptions and speculations adding Emmanuel Essien , as an official of the Ministry of Justice Akwa Ibom State had the right to tender the documents from the West African Examination Council which were a confirmation of results of Umo Eno of 1981 and 1983 examinations.
The Court further held that the documents tendered by the plaintiff as Umo Eno’s academic records from the university of Uyo, were not the certified true copy of those documents as required by the Section 84 of the evidence Act, and that the makers were not made to authenticate the documents.
The documents were therefore thrown out by the court while it held that all claims made by the plaintiff were based on assumptions and suppositions.
Delivering her judgement, Okeke said “I enter judgement in favour of the defendant and award a cost of N15 million against the plaintiff”.
