The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Thursday, admitted the certified true copies of the 1981 and 1983 West African Examinations Council, WAEC, certificates of the 2023 election gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the State, Pastor Umo Eno.

This came as Pastor Eno opened his defense, in a case of WAEC certificate forgery against him by a PDP governorship aspirant, Mr. Akan Okon.

The Senior Assistant Registrar One of West African Examinations Council, Uyo Mr. Noble Ihejirika, who is one of the three defense witnesses, tendered the certified true copies of the certificates.

The first certificate to be admitted as an exhibit was Pastor Umo Eno’s WAEC General Certificate of Education of June 1981, while the second was his General Certificate of Education, Ordinary Level of December, 1983.

Led in evidence by Uwemedimo Nwoko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the WAEC Registrar also tendered the letter written by the examination body to Akwa Ibom State Police Command in which WAEC disowned the letter purportedly written to Association for Advancement of Democracy in Nigeria, alleging that Pastor Umo Eno’s certificate was forged.

Also Emmanuel Essien, a lawyer from the office of the Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State, who was one of the witnesses, tendered a letter of confirmation of results from WAEC proving that Pastor Eno’s certificates of 1981 and 1983 were genuine and not forged as alleged by Mr. Akan Okon.

The last witness, Chris Tari Endelie, a Chief Superintendent of Police attached to Akwa Ibom State Command, tendered the letter from WAEC for the investigation of the purported letter from the examination body.

Counsel to Mr. Akan Okon, Okey Amaechi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, objected to the admissibility of all the documents and the discharge of the WAEC official from the witness box, without cross examination.

His objection was overruled by the court.

After the testimony of the police witness, Counsel to Mr. Akan Okon applied for adjournment to cross examine the witness.

The Court, presided over by Justice Agatha Okeke, adjourned the matter to Tuesday, 20th September, 2022, for continuation of hearing.