Legal counsel representing Chief Obodoeze Chukwuma Ocho, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress in Enugu State, has formally submitted a petition to the Inspector-General of Police requesting a comprehensive investigation into the National Youth Service Corps discharge certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission by Governor Peter Mbah.
The petition, authored by legal practitioner Ejikeme Ignatius Ugwu of Ejike Ugwu & Associates on behalf of the aspirant, asks law enforcement authorities to examine the authenticity of the service credential bearing number LA/FRN/01/808297. According to the petitioners, the step has become necessary to address lingering questions over the administrative records and documentation tendered to electoral authorities ahead of the 2023 governorship election.
This fresh push to the police force comes despite previous judicial pronouncements regarding the document. A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier restrained the NYSC management from disowning the discharge certificate, ruling that evidence presented before the court supported its issuance. However, the petitioners maintain that law enforcement agencies must independently investigate the filing of public documents to establish complete transparency regarding the submission made to INEC.
Representatives of the Enugu State Government and legal aides to Governor Mbah have repeatedly dismissed allegations of certificate irregularities, maintaining that the governor duly completed his mandatory national service requirements. State officials have characterized persistent legal petitions as political distractions, asserting that judicial bodies have already cleared the administration of any wrongdoing.
