A group known as the Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN) has approached the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to compel the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to commence the prosecution of Jibrilla Bindow, Governor of Adamawa State, over offences allegedly related to forgery and perjury.
In the originating summons, a copy of which was made available to journalists, the Governor was said not to have completed his secondary education at the Government Secondary School, Mangu, Plateau State, as claimed.
Among the reliefs sought by the plaintiff is an order compelling the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to produce the result of the Governor within 14 days.
Apart from Bindow, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), West African Examination Council (WAEC), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) were also joined as defendants.
Investigations revealed that Bindow, a businessman, became the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the April 2011 election for the Adamawa North Senatorial district, and went on to be elected into the Senate.
He later became the Governor of Adamawa after defeating Nuhu Ribadu and Markus Gundiri in the April 2015 governorship poll.
Bindow is described as a business tycoon, new to politics, and those close to him revealed that he did not possess secondary school certificate despite claiming so in his resume before his election as Governor.
“We were reliably informed that his poor educational background has affected governance in Adamawa State. Since he got to office, he has been unable to embark on projects that could help the development of the northern state,” said a source at the state secretariat, who asked not to be named.
“Adamawa State has lost its glory. Governor Bindow is limited in performance because of his poor educational background. It is very obvious that he cannot pilot the state effectively, and this is affecting development in the state.
“The Governor should be dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others. I will even advise the state house of assembly to impeach him now and he should be made to face the consequences of his action in a court of competent jurisdiction after his impeachment.”
Those close to Bindow say he has been running from pillar to post to get out of the mess, but that it is increasingly becoming impossible as “the certificate scandal cannot be covered since WAEC has not been able to prove that he has an authentic certificate”.
Reacting to the allegation, Macaulay Hunohashi, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, described it as “a desperate move by those who have lost the grip of power.
“I can tell you the certificate forgery allegation is simply malicious and a move to embarrass the Governor, but I can tell it will get them nowhere near the coveted ticket of our great party,” he said.
Asked if the Governor was aware of a lawsuit instituted to compel the IGP to commence prosecution against him, Hunohashi said: “Neither the Governor nor any of us in his legal team is aware of the purported lawsuit.”
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