Ogah Petitions INEC, Seeks Prosecution Of Tinubu Minister Over Alleged Forgery

The lawmaker representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Amobi Ogah, has formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), calling for the investigation and prosecution of the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, over alleged forgery of election results.

In a petition titled “Forgery, Uttering, and Tendering of Allied Forged Polling Unit Result Sheets Arising Out of the 2023 General Elections in Respect of Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency of Abia State by Hon. Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha”, Hon. Ogah accused Onyejeocha of forging results from 63 polling units which were presented during the 2023 election tribunal proceedings.

He alleged that the tribunal, which ruled in favor of Hon. Onyejeocha, relied on these forged results in its judgment.

According to Hon. Ogah, the results presented by the Minister were different from the certified true copies issued by INEC’s offices in Umuahia and Abuja.

He further claimed that during the tribunal, Onyejeocha submitted an entirely different set of results for 63 polling units, which also appeared to bear INEC certification. However, officials from INEC’s Umuahia office and its ICT unit in Abuja reportedly denied knowledge of the documents tendered by the Minister and reaffirmed the authenticity of the ones given to Ogah.

Hon. Ogah however called on INEC to investigate the matter thoroughly and to initiate legal proceedings against Onyejeocha for alleged forgery, a serious electoral offense under Nigerian law.

“I am constrained to write you in respect of the above referenced matter, in a bid to make my contribution to the ongoing efforts at sanitizing our electoral system, and, curtailing to the barest minimum all forms of criminality in our country.

“Though time does not run against a complaint against a crime, I am presenting this petition a bit late, due to the fact that I needed to gather all the relevant materials and information relevant to the successful presentation, investigation and prosecution of this complaint.

“I am the Honourable member representing the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, while Hon. Nkeiruka Chidubem Onyejeocha is at present, the Hon. Minister of State for Labour & Productivity.

“Hon. Onyejeocha and myself, amongst other candidates, were contestants for the Isuikwuato/Umunnecochi Federal Constituency seat during the 2023 general election.

“At the close of the election . I was declared the winner and certificate of return issued to me by the National Independent Electoral Commission.

“Hon. Onyejeocha proceeded to the Election Tribunal or UillUtO1111, Atha State to challenge the outcome of the election, seeking that she be returned as the winner of the election.

“Your office had at the close of the elections issued certified copies of the Polling Units, Wards, L.G.As and the Constituency results relating to our said Isuikwuato/Umunnecochi Federal Constituency election, including copies downloaded from the I – REV Portal.

“All persons who applied to your Commission were given copies of the result sheets on payment of the prescribed fees. I applied and was given all the aforementioned results with which I defended the Petition filed at the Election Tribunal by Hon. Onyejeocha, against my declaration as winner of the election.

“Surprisingly, In the course of the Election Tribunal proceedings. Hon. Onyejeocha procured and presented to the Tribunal a different set of Polling Unit results In respect of sixty – three (63) Polling Units, that seemingly had INEC certification on them

“These sixty – three (631 Polling Unit results were entirely different from the authentic results issued and certified by your office In Umuahia, Abia State and the INEC National Headquarters in Abuja

“Sir, it will interest you to know that relevant staff of the INEC office in Umuahia, Abia State and those in the I.C.T Unit of your headquarters in Abuja denied knowledge of the results procured and tendered at the Election Tribunal by Hon. Onyejeocha. Your staff equally reaffirmed the authenticity of the results tendered by me which were issued and certified by your Commission.

“It is obvious from my narrative above, that these sixty – three (63) Polling Unit results tendered by Hon. Onyejeocha were fake and a product of an exercise in forgery. There can be only one authentic Polling Unit result in an election, which in this case your office confirmed to be the results which were certified and issued to me by INEC

“It is in the light of the above, that I call on your office to investigate this obvious act of forgery, and. prosecute Hon Onyejeocha and all her accomplices.

“I am aware that the extant law empowers your Commission to investigate and prosecute electoral offender, which prosecution of offenders you have long commenced and even secured convictions.

“I undertake to make available to your investigative team, copies of the authentic set of results tendered by myself nod the forged results tendered as exhibits by Hon. Onyejeocha during the proceedings at the Election Tribunal. Both sets of results have been certified by the Registry of the Election Tribunal, who have custody of all documents tendered at the Tribunal.

“I will equally make available to your officers, the certified copy of the record of proceedings of the Election tribunal and the judgments of the Tribunal and Court of Appeal, that heard and determined the Petition filed by Hon. Onyejeocha.

“Furthermore, it is important that I mention here that the Court of Appeal in their judgment gave credence to the fact that the results tendered by Hon. Onyejeocha were not the authentic INEC Polling Unit results. thereby affirming my position that the results presented by her were fake and forged.

“Finally, permit me to state that I will not only escalate this demand to the court of public opinion and other relevant agencies of government, but will equally seek an order of mandamus against your commission to enforce my demand, should you fail to commence action timeously.

“It is my hope and prayer that this matter will be thoroughly investigated, in the interest of our electoral system. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards, while thanking you in anticipation of your prompt action. Yours in the service of Nigeria”.

Ogah Petitions INEC, Seeks Prosecution Of Tinubu Minister Over Alleged Forgery is first published on The Whistler Newspaper