The member representing Nsukka/Igbo-Eze Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Patrick Asadu may soon be prosecuted by the police for alleged forgery.
The State Intelligence Bureau of Enugu State Police Command said it had established a case of forgery reported against him and that it had forwarded its finding to the Department of Public Prosecution for appropriate legal advice.
This was contained in the Police Investigation Report with reference number CB:4099/ENS/SIB/V.1/143 dated October 19, 2015, copies of which were made available to newsmen in Enugu. The report was signed by DSP Iwara Ibiang, Officer in-charge of Special Intelligence Bureau, SIB.
According to the report, the case of forgery was reported through a written petition dated 11th May 2015, and addressed to the Commissioner of Police Enugu State by one Engr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede “m” of No. 7 Ogbolu Street GRA Enugu against one Hon. Patrick Asadu of No 26 Dennis Osadeber Crescent, Apo Abuja and the matter was referred to SIB for investigation.
In the petition, Engr. Ugwuegede who was the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP House of Representatives candidate for Igboeze South/Nsukka federal constituency, alleged that on the 6th December 2014, he contested the PDP primaries for Igboeze South/Nsukka Federal Constituency with Hon. Patrick Asadu.
The petitioner said “he was declared winner after the primary election at Igboeze South/Nsukka Federal Constituency having scored the highest number of votes cast and was issued a result sheet form with serial number 0000324. That Hon Pat Asadu (allegedly) forged the same result sheet form with the same serial Number 0000324 and tendered it at the Federal High Court Abuja, claiming it was issued to him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Headquarters Abuja.”
The police officer said that in the course of the investigation, they were able to confirm from the evidence of the Returning Officer of PDP produced by the petitioner “the authenticity of the result sheet Number 0000324 presented by Peoples Democratic Party National Headquarters declaring him (Ugwuegede) as the winner.
The investigators also said that the “affidavit deposed to by Adewale Oladipo the National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party refuting the result presented by Hon. Patrick Asadu, further shows the questionability of the result sheet presented by Hon. Patrick Asadu.”
According to the investigation report, which was copied to both Ugwuegede and Asadu, “The Forensic analysis shows that there was discrepancies on the signatures of Professor Adewale Oladipo the National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, the National Secretary PDP(sic) (Chairman), Uchenna Ogbodo and Oluedo Ephraim the, electoral and returning officers of PDP primary election.”
In their conclusion/recommendation, the investigators said: “From the available facts in conjunction with the findings of the Forensic/Handwriting analysis, they were clear indications that the document in question, that is the result sheet presented by Hon. Patrick Asadu is a subject of Forgery.
However, in view of involvement of a public officer, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, INEC and party officials, the case file was forwarded to the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) for appropriate legal advice, please.”
It would be recalled that INEC had issued certificate of return to Asadu based on the alleged forged election result and was subsequently sworn in as member of the House of Representatives while Asadu who contested the election on the platform of PDP had engaged in legal battle to recover his mandate since May this year.
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