Tribunal dismisses forged certificate allegation against Hassan

The Plateau state National/State Assembly, elections petition tribunal, has upheld the election of Honourable Ibrahim Baba Hassan, as duly elected member of the state House of Assembly.

The tribunal in a consensus judgement, delivered by Justice Mrs. O. M. Adejemo, dismissed the petition of Munir Barau and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for lacking in merit.

The petitioners –the PDP and Barrister Barau- had challenged the election and subsequent returned of Hassan, by INEC being 1st respondent, alleging that Hassan being the 2nd respondent, had filed false educational qualification to contest in the 9th March, 2019 general election.

The petitioners plead with the tribunal to canceled the election of Baba Hassan, ordered for fresh election and to disqualify the All Progressives Congress (APC), being 3rd respondent in their petition.

However, Justice Adejemo, flanked by Justices T.N.Nzegwu and M. L. Lawal, said based on the evidence before the tribunal, the second respondent, Hon. Ibrahim Baba Hassan, has fulfilled all requirements to contest in the 2019 general election.

“The allegation of forgery is a criminal offence, he who is alleging it should be able to proof beyond reasonable doubt which the petitioners fail to do,” she judged.

She held that all documentary evidences before the tribunal failed to satisfy the requirements of the law, having them not certified them and no receipt of payments to proved that they were duly obtained.

Meanwhile, Hon Hassan, said in a press release that, the verdict is victory to his people and democracy.

“Our opponents have challenged the God giving victory, at the election tribunal, in a glaring dissatisfaction with the act will of God and that of majority constituents of Jos North-North state constituency.

“I took it upon myself to pursue the defence of the mandate of my good constituents, We have collectively done and Alhamdulillah, today we have again emerged victorious,” he said.

Hassan said, just as the tribunal dismissed the petition for lacking in merit, the judgement is indeed a pointer to the fact that the judiciary is not only the last hope of the common man, but that it is an epitome of democracy and it’s norms.

“In peace, we prosperously thrive, in it we practice democracy and in it we distract the enemies of peaceful living. I therefore, solicit for peaceful celebration of this victory,” he urged.

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