Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria (HURIWA) in conjunction with Patriotic Defenders of National Institutions has called for investigation into one Isa Yahaya Mohammed, who represented the Department of State Security (DSS), at Enugu governorship election petition tribunal.

According to the groups, Mohammed has been alleged as someone who is no longer associated with the DSS. National coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, disclosed this on Sunday while addressing the media on the controversy surrounding Governor Peter Mbah’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), certification and the implications for certification integrity in Nigeria.

Expressing concerns about the recent judgment on the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal regarding Petition No.: EPT/EN/GOV/01/2023, Onwubiko said implications of the tribunal’s judgment are deeply troubling.

According to him, Mohammed had at the tribunal, while giving testimony reportedly claimed that he was a serving deputy director in charge of operations at the DSS and later contradicted himself in his written deposition where he wrote that he was Deputy Director (Strategy).

He said the central issue in the case revolves around allegation of NYSC certificate forgery against Peter Mbah, the People Democratic Party (PDP) candidate. This allegation, HURIWA said, gains weight through NYSC’s testimony as contained in a sworn affidavit in the Federal High Court case between Peter Mbah and the NYSC, which formed part of the evidence NYSC submitted to the tribunal in further proof that NYSC never issued any certificate to Mr. Mbah, let alone the purported certificate of National Service No. A808297 dated January 6, 2003, was not given due cognisance by the tribunal.

He said: “The revelations from the NYSC is alleged to cast serious doubt on the authenticity of the NYSC certificate presented by Peter Mbah, raising significant questions about the eligibility of the governor for the gubernatorial race. “Again, the implications of the tribunal’s judgment are deeply troubling. They undermine the integrity of the Nigerian certification process, not only for the NYSC but also for other certifying bodies.

The tribunal’s decision, seemingly disregarding critical evidence presented by the NYSC, raises serious concerns about the credibility of our institutions and the rule of law. “On the one hand, there is confusion surrounding the appearance of the DSS at the Enugu State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.

“The question arises: Why did the DSS appear at the tribunal? The DSS is not the issuing authority for NYSC certificates, and they are not typically involved in NYSC matters. Their unexpected presence at the tribunal has raised concerns and cast doubt on their role because it falls outside their usual mandate.

“The DSS does not have a mandate to appear before election petition tribunals in political cases and provide testimonies in favor of one candidate over another, especially when it involves a government institution like the NYSC. So, the critical question is, who authorized or procured their appearance at the tribunal?

“Furthermore, there is a troubling conspiracy theory yet to be verified unless thoroughly investigated by an independent body of experts to ascertain if there a connection between the DSS hierarchy, as it were, and Peter Mbah, the individual involved in the dispute with the Labour Party. Peter Mbah, the owner of Pinnacle Oil, had his certificate issue, and the DSS even testified that it was valid. “They undermine the integrity of the Nigerian certification process, not only for the NYSC, but also for other certifying bodies.

“The tribunal’s decision, seemingly disregarding critical evidence presented by the NYSC, raises serious concerns about the credibility of our institutions and the rule of law.” Consequently, HURIWA and Patriotic Defenders of National Institutions called for a thorough and impartial review of the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal’s judgment to ensure that justice is served. It stressed that the evidence presented by the NYSC and the allegations of certificate forgery warrant a comprehensive reexamination of the case.

They further demanded a nationwide investigation into the authenticity of NYSC certificates issued to individuals holding public offices and credibility of these certificates must be verified to maintain public trust and uphold certification integrity.

The groups noted that the petition, filed by Chijioke Edeoga and the Labour Party, challenges the outcome of the gubernatorial election held on March 18, 2023, in Enugu State, brings to light crucial issues surrounding the integrity of certification, justice, and the rule of law in Nigeria. “Legal experts have analysed the judgment and found it to be delivered with a disregard for the Constitution and Supreme Court precedents. Section 182(1)(j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly outlines the penalties for forgery, regardless of the perpetrator’s status,” the group added.