Politics

NYSC Certificate: Endless propaganda can’t change Mbah’s Mandate – Group

Published

3 years ago

April 12, 2023

A civil society advocacy group, the Enugu Good Governance Group (E-3G) has dismissed allegations of forgery of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate against the governor-elect of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, describing it as the handiwork of “foolish, old story bad losers and paid smear campaigners”

While urging Enugu’s opposition to come to terms with the fact that election season and its attendant propaganda had passed and it was time to align forces for the good governance of Enugu State, the group enjoined persons and parties aggrieved over the outcome of the March 18 polls to approach the courts and the election petition tribunal.

It described the group, Total Support for the Rule of Law and Justice Initiative, as “one and the same group of faceless character assassins” hired by people it described as bad losers to smear the person of Dr. Peter Mbah, de-legitimise, and possibly truncate the popular mandate bestowed on him by the people of Enugu State.

E-3G’s intervention was contained in a statement released by its National Coordinator, Comrade Odinaka Okechukwu, in Enugu on Wednesday.

While commending Mbah for his February petitions to the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Inspector-General of Police, the group urged the security agencies to expedite investigations into the matter with a view to bringing “all members of the syndicate of hatchet jobbers and their sponsors” to book to serve as a deterrent to others”.

“Our attention has been drawn to the renewed circulation of the same old letter claiming that the NYSC discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the governor-elect of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, was forged. This is a preposterous claim and the people of Enugu State and the Nigerian public should continue to disregard it.

“Section 29 (5) limits the grounds to challenge submissions of a candidate to INEC to ‘document submitted by that candidate in relation to his constitutional requirements to contest the election’.

“Subsection 177 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) also provides that ‘A person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if- a. he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth; b. he has attained the age of thirty-five years; c. he is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and d. he has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent’.

“So, it makes no sense to claim that an experienced lawyer and entrepreneur like Dr. Mbah submitted a forged NYSC discharge certificate to INEC when it is not a constitutional or mandatory requirement to run for the office of the governor.

“In any case, only a court of competent jurisdiction can declare a document as forged. Therefore since the mischief makers claim they have gone to court, we wonder why they also want to be the judge in their own case rather than allow the courts to adjudicate on the matter”, the group stated.

Describing Dr. Mbah as a man of honour and integrity, who could not have attained lofty heights as an industry leader in the private sector without character, capacity, and competence, the civil society group said right thinking Enugu people were satisfied with the clarifications made by Mbah and the documents he presented to show that he completed his mandatory one-year national service and was honourably discharged.

“The good thing is that Dr. Mbah enjoys the popular support of the people of Enugu State, who are eagerly waiting for his inauguration so he could unleash his innovative ideas to transform the socio-economic fortunes of the state.

“Therefore, endless propaganda and smear campaigns by bad losers cannot truncate the mandate freely given to him by the good people of Enugu State. His mandate has come to stay”, the statement concluded.

Politics

Anambra Communities Boil As Group Carpets Traditional Rulers Over Zoning

Published

2 days ago

May 8, 2026

Everydaynewsngr

By Okey Maduforo, Awka

Ten communities that make up Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State are set for a showdown with their traditional rulers following the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement for the Anambra State House of Assembly elections.

Recall that on April 7, 2022, the traditional rulers, in a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), resolved that the House of Assembly seats for Anaocha I and Anaocha II constituencies would rotate among the ten communities, with each town occupying the seat for two terms.

The traditional rulers further resolved that the rotation would subsist irrespective of the political party through which lawmakers emerge, noting that the arrangement was aimed at ensuring that all ten communities have the opportunity to produce members of the State Assembly in the interest of equity and fairness.

However, the Anaocha Equity Forum, shortly after its meeting, expressed concern over the alleged suspension of the zoning arrangement.

Speaking, the Convener of the Anaocha Equity Forum, Mr. Valentine Okoye, said the forum would not take kindly to what it described as acts capable of destabilising the council area, adding that any such move would be resisted.

“This is a Memorandum of Understanding signed by our traditional rulers, and it has been respected until now. We in the Anaocha Equity Forum see this as a slap on the sensibilities of the ten communities that make up the area,” he said.

“We urge members of the public, political parties, and stakeholders to disregard the alleged position of the traditional rulers, as it does not represent the views and aspirations of our people.

“Our traditional rulers should be mindful of their roles as fathers of their respective communities. They should also understand that they would be held responsible for whatever backlash or consequences may arise from this recent position.

“We call on Governor Charles Soludo to call the traditional rulers to order so that the peace currently enjoyed in Anaocha Local Government Area will not be disrupted,” he stated.