Court clears Obaseki on certificate scandal allegation.

– Steve Ovirih.

A reprieve has come the way of the Edo State Governor, His Excellency Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki from The Federal High Court , Abuja on the allegation of Certificate forgery levelled against him.

Justice Hammed Mohammed of the Federal High Court Abuja ruled that Governor Obaseki did not flaunt a forged certificate as the University he graduated from has openly defended the certificate it was alleged he forged. The court noted that the Governor is not guilty of the offence and cleared him accordingly.

The case as it is, is a pre election matter which was therefore not pleaded at the Edo State election tribunal.

In a related development, a PDP stalwart in Edo State, Chief Idahosa has congratulated Gov. Obaseki on his victory at the High Court , noting that with the Justice Mohammed’s pronouncement, the Edo State Governor will now be able to concentrate on governance as the case was meant to pose a needless distraction to governance by the ruling PDP in Edo State.

It will be recalled that there have been a running battle as to the authenticity of the first degree certificate presented by Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki as members of the opposition had alleged a number of irregularities in the University of Ibadan first degree certificate of the Governor.

To clear the name of the University and to protect the integrity of their certificate, the University had come out to issue statements to corroborate the fact that Gov. Obaseki graduated from the University and the certificate he presents was authentic as it was rightly issued and bearing the seal of the University of Ibadan.