DSS confirms ‘alteration’ in Bayelsa deputy governor’s NYSC certificate

The Department of State Service (DSS) yesterday tendered its investigation report on the alleged forgery of the exemption certificate issued by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Oborawharievwo Ewhrudjakpo, revealing the certificate was altered.

The report, however, further added that the alteration was done by the NYSC at the instance of the deputy governor.

An Abuja Area Court had in February ordered the DSS to investigate the forgery allegation against Ewhrudjakpo, based on a case instituted before the court by Benjamin Youdiowei, a chieftain of the APC in Bayelsa.

The report of the investigation was yesterday tendered before the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Tribunal in Abuja by the agency's Head of Legal Department, Abdulsalam Ibrahim.

Ibrahim was at the tribunal to tender documents and testify for the petitioner upon a subpoena issued on the DG, DSS, by the tribunal.

It would be recalled that Ewhrudjakpo of the PDP was sworn in as deputy governor of the state when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pronounced Douye Diri as the elected governor of the state following the Supreme Court judgment disqualifying the former governor-elect, David Lyon of the APC.

Before his swearing-in, Ewhrudjakpo, who was in the Senate representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, was dragged before the court in Lugbe, Abuja on the allegation of presenting a forged NYSC Exemption Certificate with code No: 139708 dated Feb. 2, 1998, on his nomination form to INEC.

Challenging the election of Diri at the tribunal, the candidate of the Liberation Movement (LM) in the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa, Vijah Opuama had petitioned the tribunal, alleging that Ewhrudjakpo submitted forged exemption certificate and documents that contained false information to INEC before the election.

The tribunal’s Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo, adjourned till Tuesday (June 2) for the hearing of a motion by Ewhrudjakpo, challenging his invitation as the petitioner’s witness.