The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) must pay Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State N5 million in damages for falsely alleging that his discharged certificate was fake. Justice Inyang Ekwo's judgment determined that the NYSC and its Director General were guilty of misrepresentation of material facts.
The court confirmed that the certificate presented by Governor Mbah to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was authentic and validly issued by the NYSC.
Evidence presented in court showed that although the governor was mobilized for service in 2001, he completed his service in 2003 after seeking permission from the NYSC to attend the Nigeria Law School. The NYSC failed to challenge the evidence that Mbah served at a law firm during his service, and the court criticized the NYSC for not charging the governor with forgery if they believed he did not receive a valid certificate.
Justice Ekwo concluded that the NYSC acted in bad faith by denying Mbah's NYSC certificate and that it was mischievous in its approach. In May, the court had issued an order restraining the NYSC and its agents from making any further disclaimers about the certificate. The NYSC's preliminary objection, stating that the suit was premature, was dismissed by the court. Governor Mbah, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared the winner of the Enugu state governorship election held in March.
