The Federal High Court in Makurdi, Benue State yesterday dismissed a certificate forgery case filed by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),? Mr. Terver Kakih, against Governor Gabriel Suswam .
Kakih had filed the matter a year ago just as he urged the court to disqualify the election of the governor on the grounds of SSCE certificate forgery.
Kakih, who contested the PDP ticket with Suswam in the April 2011 primaries of the party in Benue State, had alleged that Suswam did not submit to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) his SSCE certificate .
Kakih further alleged that the certificate? was forged, claiming that? the governor also marred the 2011 PDP primaries to influence his win as flag bearer of the party in the state.
Delivering his judgment at about 9.30 am which lasted for over three hours, Justice Marcel Awokulehim held that though? Kakih had the right to complain of non-level playing ground and non-conduct of ward congresses in the party primaries , it was note worthy that the issue of non-compliance of election regularities and who the party determined to be the desired candidate in an election was an exclusive party affair? vide section 35 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
The judge further held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
According to Awokulehim, though Kakih had alleged that Suswam forged SSCE certificate and that he (Kakih) had testified before the court that he visited the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) where he met the officer that influenced the forgery , the plaintiff? did not remember the name of the officer and also denied that he was not at any point where the forgery was done.