Court admits evidence on alleged discrepancies in Deputy Speaker’s credentials

<p>The tribunal also admitted in evidence, the result of the election, which the petitioners alleged was manipulated by INEC in favour of Kalu and APC.</p>, <span>Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu. Twitter:@OfficialBenKalu</span>, <h2>The National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal 4, sitting in Umuahia, on Thursday, admitted in evidence documents alleging that the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, have discrepancies in his credentials.</h2>, <p>The documents were tendered by the Labour Party Candidate in the February 25 National Assembly poll in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia, Chief Frank Chinasa.</p>, <p>Chinasa also testified as a star witness before the Hon. Justice Samson Gang-led three-member panel.</p>, <p>Some of the documents tendered by Chinasa’s Lead Counsel, Yunus Usman (SAN), included Kalu’s birth certificate, West African School Certificate, first degree certificate issued by the University of Calabar and NYSC Certificate, among others.</p>, <p>Usman argued that while some of the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the documents deposed to bore Osisiogu Benjamin Okezie, others bore Kalu Benjamin Okezie and Benjamin Okezie Osisiogu, respectively.</p>, <p>After his submission, the tribunal admitted all the nine documents and marked them as exhibits.</p>, <p>However, Kelvin Nwufo (SAN), Counsel for Kalu, objected to the admissibility of the documents as exhibits but said he would give reasons for his objection in his final written address.</p>, <p>Also, Counsels for APC and INEC, Vigilus Nwankwo, and Ogochukwu Onyekwulije, respectively, objected to the admissibility of the documents.</p>, <p>They promised to adduce their reasons for their objections in their final written addresses.</p>, <p>The tribunal also admitted in evidence, the result of the election, which the petitioners alleged was manipulated by INEC in favour of Kalu and APC.</p>, <p>Chinasa alleged that INEC awarded him 6,898 votes and 10,020 votes to Kalu.</p>, <p>He also tendered