WAEC, UNIUYO, Puncture Oba’s Petition, Affirm Akwa Ibom Gov. Umo Eno’s Certificates

By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos

Following the petition filed by Sen. Bassey Albert that Governor Umo Eno has no WAEC certificate and never sat for the examination, the West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC has told Tribunal that indeed Umo Bassey Eno was their candidate and wrote the examination at the Ikeja in 1981 and 1983.

Appearing as a subpoenaed witness before the 2023 Akwa Ibom State Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal, a Senior Legal Officer with the West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC Adekanmbi Olaolu while under cross-examination produced a result listing for 1981 and 1983, confirming that Pastor Umo Eno sat for the exams at the Ikeja centre, and his name is on the WAEC result listings.

Under cross-examination by Paul Usoro the WAEC official said “At the point of registration for any examinations of the Council, information supplied by a candidate concerning registration for any of the council’s Examination which record entries is dependent on the candidate or the school.”

Reacting to the day’s proceedings, counsel to the second respondent, Paul Usoro, SAN submitted that the testimonies presented before the court by the two witnesses, Dr. Success Akpabio of the University of Uyo and Adekanmbi Olaolu of the West Africa Examinations Council, WAEC have put to rest the claims by the petitioner, as their testimonies had proven that those documents tendered by the petitioner were all forged documents.

Also, Barr. Emmanuel Enoidem noted that the hearing has further busted the lies and falsehood in the petition of the YPP Governorship candidate against Governor Umo Eno.

“What the petitioner did was to invite WAEC and the University of Uyo because they’re saying that the school certificate of the governor is fake/ forgery, they’re also saying that he was expelled from the University of Uyo.

“They sent what we lawyers called subpoena documents (a command for one to appear before the court), to show, “that 1- the Governor has forged the school certificates and 2- that he was expelled from the University.

“The second witness was the gentleman from the WAEC. He produced what he called result listing for 1981 and 1983. For those who have been on this case for some time, you would recall that they said the governor did not sit for his school certificate in 1981 and that there is no school like Victory High School 1. The gentleman from WAEC today produced the result listing for that centre Victory High School 1 and the Governor’s name is in that result listing.

He also produced the result listing for 1983 and he confirmed that the Governor’s name is in that result system. By the way, that result listing that was produced for 1983, was for the Ikeja centre and the governor took his examination in the Ikeja centre and his name is in that result listing”, Paul Usoro added.

However, reacting to the developments, former legal adviser of the PDP, Emmanuel Enoidem expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the proceedings.

Senator Bassey Albert in his petition is alleging that Umo Eno didn’t go to school and was not a legitimate student of the University of Uyo.

Hearing at the tribunal continues on Saturday, June 17 as Bassey Albert is expected to present more witnesses before closing his case.