Court nullifies Benue Rep-elect’s election, orders police to prosecute him

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered INEC to immediately nullify the election of Benue politician, Christian Abah after allegations of certificate forgery leveled against him by his political rival, Mr. Hassan Saleh, was established to be true by the court.

Christian Abah was elected in the just concluded general election to represent the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal ‎Constituency in the forthcoming 8th National Assembly.
In his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola said investigations so far carried out by the court showed that Chris Ada presented a forged Ordinary National Diploma certificate in Accountancy he said he obtained from the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, in 1985.

According to the judge, an earlier judgment of the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal ‎sitting in Makurdi delivered on September 6, 2011, and a letter by the Registrar of the polytechnic, Mr. Suleiman Buba, proved that the certificate presented by Abah to INEC was forged.

Justice Ademola declared his election invalid and stated that all votes accrued by him during the election was invalid as well. His rival, Hassan Saleh who came second during the election was declared winner of the election by the court. Justice Ademola ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to immediately commence prosecution of Abah for forgery and perjury.