By Fortune Eromosele 

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has lauded the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, on their unwavering stance in the declaration of Governor Peter Mbah’s certificate as fake.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said the NYSC has cited an example of an institution with zero tolerance for corruption.

HURIWA called on Nigerians to support the NYSC and urged the complete ban of individuals with questionable characters from participating in politics. 

The rights group also called for a review of the Federal High Court’s Abuja judgment on the NYSC certificate saga of Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah.

Onwubiko urged the judiciary to uphold its independence and adhere to the principles of fairness and justice.

He said, “One major concern is the assertion that the NYSC could have prosecuted Governor Mbah if they believed his certificate was forged. This interpretation of the NYSC Act is erroneous, as the NYSC lacks the legal authority to act as a public prosecutor in cases of certificate forgery”.

He also pointed out the lack of consideration for the fact that the Inspector General of Police was actively investigating the allegations against Governor Mbah. 

Onwubiko said, “The absence of any mention of the actions taken by the Inspector General of Police raises doubts about the comprehensiveness and fairness of the judgment.

“The timing of the judgment, just days before the Appeal Court Lagos was set to hear the Labour Party’s appeal against the Enugu State gubernatorial election petition tribunal judgment, raises suspicions of potential interference with the ongoing legal process”.

The rights group said it remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding human rights and democratic values in Nigeria and will closely monitor the case.