Abia governorship: Otti’s failure to produce NYSC certificate enough for disqualification, says PDP
By Emma Ogbuehi
The legal team of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Abia State Chapter and its candidate in the 2023 Governorship election in Abia State, Okey Ahiwe have argued that the inability of Governor Alex Otti to produce his National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) Certificate is a prove that he is not qualified to be governor.
The legal team described as strange, the failure of the governor, Dr Alex Otti to produce his NYSC discharge certificate or exemption letter.
The team contended that it is strange for Otti to include an NYSC reference letter, after having submitted his university degree on oath to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) without the usual accompanying NYSC discharge certificate or exemption letter.
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Recall that the Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal had rounded off with pre-hearing as parties adopted their issues for determination.
The PDP however said that it has uncovered a plot by the Labour Party (LP), Governor Otti’s political platform to keep delaying proceedings with endless applications.
PDP chieftains in the state argue that it is ironical that Labour Party is challenging the Enugu State governor’s NYSC certificate, but lawyers to the Abia wing of the party are saying that the NYSC certificate or exemption letter is not a constitutional requirement to contest for Governorship.
The Tribunal on July, 14, 2023 adjourned to July 19, 2023 for a report of pre-hearing and subsequently enter the hearing proper.
In the last proceeding on the above date, the motion on Otti’s refusal, neglect or inability to submit either his NYSC discharge certificate or exemption letter was reserved for the day of judgment by the court.
Otti in his reply admitted that he did not front load the said discharge certificate or exemption letter from NYSC, because it was a reference letter that NYSC gave him.
From Otti’s reply, the Petitioners prayed the Tribunal to hold that he was not qualified ab initio to contest the governorship election, as the said reference letter is not only strange but also abnormal.
The Petitioner concluded Otti does not have an NYSC certificate or exemption letter and thus; did not include any in the documents submitted to INEC and also front-loaded to the Tribunal.
