By Onome Oghenetega
The Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, was on Tuesday docked at the Federal High Court, Asaba, over the alleged certificate forgery case filed against him by a former governorship aspirant, Chief Novwie Ikie.
Oborevwori, who stood on the witness box for cross examination, testified before the trial judge, Justice Folasade A. Olubanjo, that he was the original owner of the WAEC certificate being alleged to have been forged by his opponent.
Presenting relevant documents to buttress his point, the PDP governorship candidate affirmed to the trial judge that he was born 1963 as against the 1979.
He also told the court that in an effort to correct the erroneous date of birth in his WAEC certificate, he swore to an affidavit and Deed Poll to correct the date.
The case was, however, adjourned to February 22nd, 2023, after the defence lawyers closed their case for adoption of written addresses by respective counsels.
With Oborevwori’s testimony, both parties have now concluded their positions awaiting their lawyers to adopt their respective legal arguments for ruling at a later date.
Chief Ikie, a Nigerian UK-based legal practitioner, is seeking the disqualification of the Delta PDP governorship candidate on the ground that the WAEC certificate which Oborovwori is parading was forged and not his own.
The plaintiff is also asking the court to disqualify Oborevwori for parading different dates of birth and swearing to multiple court affidavits in order to cover his alleged illegality.
Ikie is one of the governorship aspirants who lost to the Delta Assembly Speaker in the May 25 PDP governorship primaries held at the Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, the state capital.
Oborevwori polled 597 votes out of 824 ballots cast by delegates to emerge candidate of the party in a keenly contested primaries.
