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A group of concerned members of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have petitioned the Chairman of PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu over an alleged inconsistency in credentials of the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori.

The petition written and signed on their behalf by their lawyer, B. O. Ojumah, Managing Partner, Pristinus LP (Legal Practitioners & Notary Public) urged the party to disqualify Oborevwori over the discrepancies in the Delta Speaker’s credentials.
The letter reads:

PRISTINUS LP
Legal Practitioners & Notary Public
9, Agho Street,
Off Ekenwan Road,
Benin City,
Edo State, Nigeria.
Email: Benjaminojumah@yahoo.com
08036898516
08055807004
Our Ref: Your Ref: Date: 26th April, 2022

The Chairman,
People Democratic Party,
National Secretariat,
Wadada House,
Abuja.

Dear Sir,
Re: Nomination of Candidates for Elections Into Political Offices.
We are solicitors to Messrs. Augustine Oritsasrfunsaho of INEC ward 1 Obodo/Ureji, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, Kanabar Ovie Duke Orogu ward 1, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State and Osigidi Amos Uvwie, ward 7, Uwie Local Government Area, Delta State whom we shall hereinafter throughout the entire gamut of this letter referred to as our clients on whose instructions we write this letter.
Our clients are concerned members of the People Democratic Party, Delta State chapters. We have their instructions to bring to your attention an issue they felt strongly about.
There is no doubt, the elections are here again of which all stakeholders are leaving no stone unturned in putting their houses in order to enable them win the elections at all levels. As you are well aware of, the People Democratic is one of the major stakeholders in Nigeria politics and not just a stakeholder but the main opposition party at the National level. So far the party has not fare badly particularly in Delta State since the inception of the present democratic dispensation in 1990. It has always maintained the lead in all elections into offices in the state. The secret behind this is not far fetch – It is by keeping to the rare tradition of fielding the best and most qualified candidates in all the elections.
Our Clients are aware that many persons have expressed their interest and desire to contest for various offices in the state including the office of the governor of the state. One of such persons is Rt. Honorable Oborevwori Francis Orohwedor Sheriff. This is the name he stated/bears in INEC form CF 001 he presented to the party and to INEC in other occasion when he contested for the seat in the state house of Assembly. Our Clients stumbled on other documents he attached to the said form and a careful scrutiny of these documents reveals that Rt. Hon. Sheriff is not qualified to context the election. This is due to the obvious inconsistencies in the names in the documents. The names transform from one form to another. For instance, in the Master Degree Certificate issued by the Delta State University,

Abraka, the name on it is at variance with the one in the said form 001. The certificate bears Oborevwori Francis Sheriff Orohwedor. In his 1st decree certificate issued by Ambrose Alli Unversity, Ekpoma, the name Oborevwori Sheriff Francis is what it was issued with. Again this is at variance with the one in the said INEC form 001. Not only so, in his NYSC Certificate, the name is Oborevwori Sheriff F. and nothing more. It did not end there, in his West African Senior School Certificate, the name Oborevwori O. Francis is what is on it. And in his Primary School Leaving Certificate Oborevwori Francis is what he bears. For the benefit of doubt, the documents are attached herewith for your ease of reference, perusal and necessary action.
Our Clients are compelled to instruct us to bring this to your attention because in the past, political parties have lost elections due to situation such as this. A recent case which is in all fours with this case is the case of David Lyon of Bayelsa State where his deputy Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo presented certificates/documents of different level of his academic career with inconsistent names and the People Democratic Party challenged the election on this ground. The matter went to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court agreed with the People Democratic Party and upturned the election of the All Progressive Congress that the said deputy was not qualified to contest the election on this ground. For the benefit of doubts, this is what happened: The name he stated on INEC Form CF 001 was Degi-Eremienyo whereas the name written in his Primary School Certificate was Degi-Biobara. In his Secondary School Certificate, a different name – Adegi Biobarakumo was shown and when he entered the University, the name changed again to Degi Biobarakuma. And lastly in his MBA Certificate, the name again mutated to Degi Biobarakuma Wangaha. As a result of these unstableness, the Supreme Court while upturning the election declared that none of the certificates has any bearing with the Degi-Eremienyo.
Our Clients’ fear is that the party will be taking a very disastrous and catastrophic risk if it fields Rt. Hon. Sheriff in the upcoming election in 2023 as its gubernatorial candidate. As faithful members of the People Democratic Party, they cannot fold their arms and allow the party makes the same error the All Progressive Congress made in Bayelsa State hence the need to call your attention to this. It is their concern that if the People Democratic Party must maintain her leads in the upcoming elections into various political offices in Delta State particularly the office of the governor, as it has always done hitherto, then the right and the most qualified person should be fielded. Such a person must certifies the basic requirements for the election. Our Clients are not candidates gunning for the position of the governor of the state but are persons who have party’s interest at heart. Their desire is that the party must not lose the election on technical ground but on merit if assuming without conceding it has to lose. This information is brought to you to assist party in exercising her discretion when nominating/presenting the candidate that would represent her in the gubernatorial election.
Please accept our highest regards.
For Pristinus LP

B.O. Ojumah Esq.
(Managing Partner)

CC
1. The State Chairman,
People Democratic Party,
Party Secretariat,
Asaba,
Delta State.

2. The Executive Governor,
Government House,
Delta State.

3. The Director of State Security Service,
Delta State Command,
Asaba,
Delta State.

Dear Sirs,

Above is for your information and necessary action.

Yours faithfully,

For Pristinus LP,

B.O. Ojumah Esq.
(Managing Partner)