Certificate Forgery: Supreme Court Disqualifies Reps’ Sole Candidate

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has disqualified the sole candidate for the House of Representatives seat of Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency of Benue State, Chris Adaba Abba, over the allegation of certificate forgery.
Abba was returned unopposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2015 National Assembly election, having won the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He was however restricted from being inaugurated when his opponent at the PDP primaries and the incumbent member, Hon. Hassan Anthony Saleh instituted a forgery suit against him at the Federal High Court, Abuja and won  on. Saleh was consequently inaugurated into the 8th Assembly while
Abba challenged the decision of the trial court at the Abuja Court of Appeal.
The appellate court however, gave judgment in favour of Mr. Abba,
thereby setting aside the judgment of the trial court; which made
Saleh to approach the Supreme Court.
Delivering the judgment on Friday, the apex court said a fresh Certificate of Return should be given to Saleh, by the Independent ational Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Sidi Dauda Bage who read the lead judgment said the trial court was able to establish the issue of certificate forgery preferred against Hon. Abba, thereby upholding the ruling of the Abuja Federal High Court of May 22nd 2015.