Sunny Idachaba
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Sokoto has admitted the original and certified true copies of the primary school registers (primary 5A and Primary 6A) of the Sokoto state deputy governor, Hon Idris Mohammed Gobir which was tendered before it.
Counsel to 1st and 2nd respondents, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and Malam Yusuf O. Ali (SAN) presented the documents to the court against the previous one tendered by the counsels of the petitioners.
One of the defence counsels representing 3rd respondent, Barrister Bashir Mu’azu Jodi (APC legal Adviser) sokoto explained that the school registers of the deputy governor tendered before the election petition tribunal was that of primary 5A and Primary 6A and which was vehemently against the purported and concocted 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).
He further added that the original school registers tendered by the 1st and 2nd respondents has clearly exposed that the school register tendered by the petitioners does not emanate from any school in Sabon Birni local government or anywhere in the state.
During cross examination of the witness (headmaster of Model Primary School Sabon Birni where the deputy governor finished from) by the petitioners counsels, it clearly exposed that the anomalies in the school register tendered by the petitioners show an alteration from 1982 to 1986 from the face of the said register.
That the concocted register showed nine sessions between 1986 to 1987 and same school class teacher from 1982 to 1986.
Barrister Jodi said the evidence of the headmaster was unshakable and has clearly vendicated the deputy governor from the allegations of forgery as such shows the originality from Model Primary School Sabon Birni against the concocted Town Primary School Sabon Birni local government which has no originality of existence from any school.
After heated debates, chairman of the trbunal, Justice Haruna Mshelia admitted both the original and certified true copies of the said primary school registers of the 2nd respondent in evidence and also marked it as exhibit.
Barrister Jodi said with this development, the attempt by the petitioners to discredit the documents tendered by the counsel to the 1st and 2nd respondents through the school headmaster and his oral evidence had failed woefully.
