By Amos Aar
FEDERAL High Court Abuja presided over by Justice Donatus Okorowo on Monday dismissed a suit instituted by the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Titus Uba, for lack of merit.
The APC and its governorship candidate, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, had filed the suit and contested that the column of academic credentials of a candidate in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) form EC-9 submitted by Uba and the PDP was blank.
The court held that the plaintiffs attached unverified documents in proofs of the originating summons while the PDP in a defence attached certified true copies of uploaded INEC form EC-9 showing that all relevant columns were filed.
Radio Benue Makurdi reported on Wednesday evening that the PDP also annexed certified true copies of all relevant credentials of Rt. Hon. Titus Uba from primary, secondary, and tertiary as well as professional qualifications.
Ruling, Justice Okorowo agreed with the authorities cited by the lead counsel to the PDP, Chief Sebastine Hon, SAN, that the constitution does not require a candidate to tender or produce a certificate of qualification to INEC, what it requires is that the person should be educated up to secondary school certificate level.
The court also held that Uba, having contested elections twice in the past and screened by INEC, the presumption is that he is qualified to contest for the office of governor.
