According to the presiding judge, Justice V. I. Ofezi, there was no evidence to prove that Osanebi sat for and wrote his NECO examination at Orogu Grammar School, Orogu, Ughelli North local government area of the state as he claimed
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has withdrawn its Certificate of Return from the deputy speaker of the Delta state house of Assembly, Mr. Friday Osanebi following the sack of Osanebi by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin City, Edo State over certificate forgery a month ago.
The Commission represented by its National Commissioner, South-South, Dr. Muhammed Lecky, Wednesday in Abuja, issued the Certificate of Return withdrawn from the deputy speaker to Mr. Emeka Ozegbe, as the elected member of the Delta State House of Assembly, representing Ndokwa East constituency.
In April this year, a Delta High Court sitting in Kwale, had sacked the deputy speaker of the State House of Assembly and member representing Ndokwa East constituency, Mr. Friday Osanebi, over allegations that the NECO certificate he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), for his election in 2015 was forged, declaring that the Osanebi lied on oath by submitting a forged NECO certificate and order the immediate swearing in of Ozegbe into the House.
According to the presiding judge, Justice V. I. Ofezi, there was no evidence to prove that Osanebi sat for and wrote his NECO examination at Orogu Grammar School, Orogu, Ughelli North local government area of the state as he claimed, saying that the claimant, Mr. Emeka Ozegbe, was able to prove that Mr. Osanebi presented a NECO certificate which is not his own in the form CF001 2014 he submitted to INEC for the election and therefore directed INEC to immediately withdrawn the certificate of return issued to the deputy speaker and issue same to Emeka Ozegbe, who was validly nominated as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in the 2015 general elections.
The Delta state high court judgment which was appealed by the Deputy Speaker was also decided at the Court of Appeal in Benin city in favour of the claimant, Emeka Odegbe, who was validly nominated as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), in the 2015 general elections.
The embattled deputy speaker, Osanebi however appealed against the judgement of the Court of Appeal, in Benin City, to the Supreme Court which is yet to begin hearing on the matter.
In a chat with our correspondent, Mr. Emeka Ozegbe, who expressed gratitude to God for seeing him through in the legal battle to reclaim his mandate and the court for giving hope to the hopeless disclosed that there were two Appeal Court judgements that ruled in his favour, "one in the case instituted by me with suit number: HCK/78/2017, Appeal Number: CA/B/210A/18 and in the case instituted by Friday Osanebi, which with suit number: HOK/78/2017, Appeal Number: CA/B/210/2018. In both cases, judgements were issued in my favour and in the Appeal instituted by Osanebi, N500,000 was awarded as costs against Osanebi in my favour.
"Mr. Friday Osanebi is on appeal at the Supreme court but as I talk to you now the Supreme court has adjourned the case sine dine and to June 24, 2019 and then the this current administration must has elapsed hence the commission did the needful by obeying the Court of Appeal judgement to issue me the certificate of return. So as at this moment I am the lawful member representing the Ndokwa East constituency in the Delta state house of Assembly today." Ozegbe said.
While congratulating and thanking his teeming supporters, constituents, family members, friends and the youths for standing and believing in him, Mr. Ozegbe, urge the leadership of the house of Assembly, especially the speaker to respect the judgement and swears him in, "I give God the glory and I thank INEC for complying with the orders of the court in this respect and also hope that the leadership of the Delta State House of Assembly, especially the Speaker would also respect the orders of the court,” Ozegbe stated.
Checks by SaharaReporters revealed that Mr. Emeka Ozegbe, former member of the PDP is currently seeking an election into the Delta State House of Assembly, to represent the people of Ndokwa East constituency in the forthcoming g 2019 general elections.
Contacted on the issue, the Delta state house of Assembly Deputy Speaker and member representing Ndokwa East constituency, Mr. Friday Osanebi, debunked his sacked story saying it was a mere rumour and should be discarded.
"Those peddling the rumour shouldn’t be taken serious. Please, don’t mind them. The case was just heard Wednesday. No Supreme Court sacked me. The case is still with the Supreme Court. The case has been adjourned to January; they are just carrying fake news”. Osanebi said.