Senator Declared Wanted For Forgery

A Peoples Democratic Party senator, Alphonsus Uba Igbeke, has been declared wanted by the police on claims he forged documents to get justice after he lost the party primaries held months back in Anambra North Senatorial District to another person.

The embattled Igbeke, a serving senator, who has battled several legal issues, allegedly found himself in this controversy after he approached a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to declare him winner of the senatorial primaries held in his zone.

The senator was declared winner by Justice Abdu Kafarati in an election that was contested by five people includng Igbeke, widow of the late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Mrs. Margery Okadigbo, and former Minister of Transport and Water Resources, Prince John Okechukwu Emeka, who was declared the winner before the judgement.

Justice Kafarati, in his judgement, relied on the documents of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and signatures of the commission’s officers as well as signatures of State PDP Party executives. The judge also shielded him against any harassment and infringement on his fundamental human rights from law enforcement agents in the country.

But these documents and signatures have been declared as forged by the police who have been on his trail over this.

Igbeke, on 9 May, also declared that he was the authentic winner of the senatorial election in a live television programme and even tendered a Certificate of Return he purportedly received from INEC office in Abuja, even when he did not contest in the general elections, according to sources close to Prince Emeka.

“We gathered that the commission may have acted on the basis of another unlawful court order dubiously procured by Alphonsus Igbeke from Justice Abdu Kafarati, who on 6 May gave his latest unlawful Order of Mandamus to Mr. Igbeke without recourse to any originating suit,” an aide to Prince Emeka said.

P.M.NEWS has now learnt that a bench warrant has been issued for the arrest and prosecution of Mr. Igbeke for lying under oath, perjury and forgery in a case between the IGP and Mr. Igbeke.

However, counsel for Senator Igbeke and Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has described as complete violation of the Rule of Law and existing court order any attempt to arrest of his client.

“We understand that an invitation (which Senator Igbeke has not received) was sent to the Clerk of the National Assembly inviting Senator Igbeke to Police Headquarters,” Keyamo said, insisting that his client duly won the primaries.

“However, when Senator Igbeke got wind that his name was to be substituted with that of John Emeka, he exercised his constitutional right by filing a pre-election suit at the Federal High Court (Suit No.: FHC/ABJ.CS/189/2011: Senator Alphonsus Igbeke V. INEC & Ors) in which he challenged the move to substitute him. He tendered in court, through affidavit evidence, the result of the PDP primary election in Anambra State.”

Explaining how his client went to court, Keyamo said after Igbeke won in the general elections, INEC was bent on giving the Certificate of Return to Prince Emeka. He “obtained an order compelling INEC to issue the Certificate of Return for Anambra North Senatorial District to him being the candidate who contested the election. It was at this point INEC complied and issued the Certificate of Return to Senator Igbeke.”

He warned the police to stop the move to arrest Igbeke or he would institute a contempt of court suit against the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, on behalf of his client.
By Eromosele Ebholele