The Department of
State Service (DSS) says the exemption certificate that the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) issued to Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, deputy governor of Bayelsa
state, was altered.
Abdulsalam Ibrahim,
head, legal department of the secret police, told the Bayelsa governorship
election tribunal in Abuja that his agency was ordered by an Abuja court to
investigate allegation of certificate forgery against Ewhrudjakpo.
Ibrahim was at the
tribunal to tender documents and testify for the petitioner upon a subpoena
issued on the director-general of the DSS by the tribunal.
Vijah Opuama,
candidate of the Liberation Movement (LM) in the 2019 governorship election,
had petitioned the tribunal, alleging that Ewhrudjakpo submitted forged
exemption certificate and
documents that contain false information to the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ibrahim, led in
evidence by Pius Pius, the petitioner’s lawyer, said: “My lord, on the 22nd of
February 2020, we received a letter from an Area Court in Lugbe, Abuja asking
the DSS to investigate the NYSC exemption certificate of Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo,
the present Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.”
He said his agency
conducted investigation by reaching out to the NYSC.
He said the DSS DG,
wrote to the DG, DSS confirming alteration in the surname in the exemption
certificate issued Ewhrudjakpo.
Ibrahim however told
the tribunal that the alteration was done by the NYSC at the instance of Ewhrudjakpo.
The petitioner’s
lawyer later tendered a copy of the subpoena, a copy of the letter from the
area court and two investigation reports dated May 27 and 28, 2020, including
an annexture from the NYSC, through the witness.
Under
cross-examination by lawyer to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel
Enoidem, Ibrahim confirmed that the alteration in the certificate was effected
by the NYSC.
The witness agreed
with Enoidem that it is the bearer of a name that knows how best to spell
his/her name.
Ibrahim Sirajo,
chairman of the tribunal, adjourned the matter till Tuesday for the hearing of
a motion by Ewhrudjakpo, challenging his invitation as the petitioner’s
witness.
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