An official of the University of Uyo, Dr. Ime Success Akpan has told the Governorship Petitions Tribunal that the defeated candidate of the YPP, Senator Bassey Albert and his legal team are mischief makers out to deceive the court and the general public.
Senator Bassey Albert in his petition EPT/AKN/GN/01/2023, accused Governor Umo Eno of certificate forgery and elections irregularities and wants Pastor Eno disqualified as his expense.
The Tribunal acting on Bassey Albert’s application, subpoenaed the University of Uyo management over the allegations of certificate forgery he leveled against Pastor Eno.
Speaking as a subpoenaed witness at the Tribunal in Uyo on Friday, Dr Ime Akpan, Director of Academic Affairs of the University said the fake result certificate bearing 98UG017806 did not emanate from the University of Uyo.
The University management staff told the Tribunal that “Umo Eno graduated from the University of Uyo, but not with this registration number.
“My Lord, this document did not emanate from the University of Uyo. It is designed to mislead and deceive the Court.
“This registration number belongs to Ugoji Chinenye who was admitted to study Communication Arts.
When further cross examined, Dr Akpan who told the tribunal he had worked in the University for 24 years, said the piece of evidence submitted by Senator Akpan to the court was forged.
“My Lord, this stamp is a forged stamp. We don’t recognize that stamp to be of the University of Uyo.
“It is to deceive the public and mislead the Court”
On the letter of expulsion purportedly issued against Pastor Umo Eno by the institution, Dr Ime Akpan said, “Everything here is wrong. This document did not emanate from the University of Uyo”
Reacting to the purported letter of expulsion, he said such letter could not have emanated from the Senate of the University of Uyo.
“The signature of PJ Effiong is wrong. That is not his signature.. The name appearing here is P. J. Effiong with double f, whereas the former registrar’s name is written with single f which is P. J. Efiong.
“I worked under PJ Efiong. He is my mentor. During my period of working with him, he never wrote his name with double ‘f’.
“This document tendered by OBA’s counsel is signed by one Daniel J. Akpan said to be an Administrative Officer 1, but Dr. Success Akpan told the court thus “No we don’t have any Administrative Officer 1 known as Daniel Akpan.”
”The Registrar has authority to certify documents emanating from the University of Uyo and if he is not around, he can mandate the Director (which is me) to sign. Administrative Officer 1 is so low in ranking to certify such “a University documents.
He also spotted what he observed as poor grammar in the document,and added that “Umo Bassey Eno passed out of the University of Uyo. His file is in the records of the University of Uyo”.
Under further cross examination by Paul Usoro, counsel to Governor Umo Eno, Dr. Ime Akpan said “We don’t have this document in Umo Eno’s file. Umo Eno graduated in 2004”.
When asked how many Eno Umo Bassey do you have in the University of Uyo records, Dr. Akpan responded; “As a former Head of Records before becoming the Director of Academic Affairs,we have only one Eno Umo Bassey in the university records”
“I was in Records. I was the Senior Assistant Registrar, I screened Eno Umo Bassey. I got this from his file. That’s my signature there on the document.
“When it is time to screen students out of the University in their final year, the Records Officer writes to the Vice-Chancellor through the Registrar. I was in Records. I was the Snr. Asst Registrar. I screened him”, Dr. Akpan confirmed.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo was also present in the court to witness the proceedings.
The University of Uyo through the very officer that screened him, has confirmed before the tribunal that Umo Eno duly graduated from the institution.