While the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma confirmed that the certificate it issued to him bore Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, the Delta State University, Abraka said the certificate it issued him bore Sheriff Francis O. Oborevwori.
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As the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja reserves judgment in the appeal filed by Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori against the judgment of a Federal High Court, Security agencies have confirmed that the certificates presented by the Appellant are owned by him (Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori).
His opponents had reportedly invited the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to step into the matter to investigate the authenticity of the certificates presented by Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The agencies which swung into action, sent letters and visited all the schools which the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori claimed in his nomination forms to have attended.
While the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma confirmed that the certificate it issued to him bore Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, the Delta State University, Abraka said the certificate it issued him bore Sheriff Francis O. Oborevwori.
The universities also confirmed that Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori had sworn to affidavit published in the Observer newspapers edition of 30th January 2004 to clarify the issue of the name Sheriff not being in his primary and secondary school certificates.
Meanwhile, the then Principal of Oghareki Grammar School, Oghara, Mr Jacob Akpodiogaga, where Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori re-enrolled for his WASC examination, confirmed that the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly was one of those who wrote the WAEC examination in the 1998/99 session.
Also, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori’s classmates both in secondary schools and the Universities had in separate interviews confirmed that the Speaker was their classmate.
His secondary school classmate, Oghenejabor Ikimi, a lawyer and his classmate at the Ambrose Alli University, Chief Mrs Rasheeda Egbedi, confirmed that Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori was their classmates and gave a clear description of the Speaker.
Recall that the PDP guber primaries which Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori overwhelmingly won is being litigated by his opponent, Olorogun David Edevbie, alleging that the certificates of Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori were not authentic.
The Court of Appeal, which held the matter on 19th August, has reserved judgement for a date that would be communicated to all parties, before September 5th, 2022.
•Text, except headline, courtesy of Vanguard newspaper
