On Monday, a Federal High Court in Abuja awarded the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) $5 million in damages for arguing that the corps’ dismissed certificate possessed by Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah was forged.
In a verdict, Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that the defendants in the complaint, the Director General of the NYSC and the corps, were guilty of misrepresenting key facts. The judge ruled that Mbah’s certificate, which he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was genuine and properly issued by the NYSC. Justice Ekwo further stated that evidence presented to the court proved that, although being mobilized for duty in 2001, the governor finished his service in 2003.
According to the court, Mbah, midway into his service, sought and after received permission from NYSC to attend the Nigeria Law School, was reinstated into the NYSC in 2003.
Besides, the judge said that while the evidence that Mbah served in the law firm of one Udeh was not challenged by the NYSC, he berated the corps for not charging the governor for forgery if they actually believed that they didn’t issue the said NYSC certificate to him.
He concluded that the NYSC was mischievous and acted in bad faith by denying Mbah’s NYSC certificate.
Mbah had sued the NYSC and its Director, Corps Certification, Ibrahim Muhammad, for publishing a disclaimer, denying the issuance of a discharge certificate issued to him on January 6, 2003.
Justice Ekwo, on May 15, restrained the NYSC, Muhammad and any of their agents from, henceforth, engaging in such publication pending the hearing and determination of the substantive matter. The order followed an ex parte motion moved by Mbah’s counsel, Emeka Ozoani, SAN.
But the NYCS, in its preliminary objection dated May 19 and filed May 22, sought an order dismissing or striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction and competence.
Giving three grounds of argument, the corps said that Mbah did not appeal to the president as required by the provisions of Section 20 of the National Youth Service Corps Act, Cap N84, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 before instituting the suit against the defendants.
It argued that appeal to the president was a condition-precedent to instituting an action against the defendants in any court of law in Nigeria.
According to the NYSC, consequent upon the refusal of the plaintiff/respondent to comply with the provisions of Section 20 of the National Youth Service Corps Act, this suit is premature for the jurisdiction of the court to crystalise.
The NYSC had, on February 1, written a letter signed by Mr Ibrahim Muhammed saying that the NYSC certificate belonging to Mbah was not issued by the corps. Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was declared the winner of the Enugu state governorship election held in March 18 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
