Senator Gershom Bassey
From: Diana Okon-Effiong, Calabar
The election petition tribunal sitting in Calabar was told by a witness that although he roundly lost in his unit, ward and Local Government Area he eventually won the National Assembly election.
Sen. Gershom Bassey,(PDP) representing Cross River South at the current senate, stated this when he testified as a principal witness in a petition filed by Sen. Bassey Otu (LP) against his election.
Speaking under cross examination at the tribunal Bassey said that he lost the senatorial elections in his Unit, Ward and Odukpani Local Government Area to the LP candidate in the 2015 polls.
Bassey’s constituency includes Calabar Municipality, Calabar South, Bakassi, Akpabuyo, Odukpani, Akamkpa and Biase Local Government Areas of Cross River.
Bassey spoke under cross examination by counsel to Otu, Mr. Essien Andrew at the tribunal.
He said that apart from results from Biase and Akamkpa, he would have lost the election
When the issue of his certificates came up for hearing the senator said he holds the West African School Certificate contradicted himself when te issue of his certificate came up.
The INEC form, CF001, Sen. Bassey had filed which was displayed as exhibit in court indicated that has a West African School Certificate (WASC).
But the broad sheet from Federal Government Sokoto also displayed as an exhibit indicated that he has a General Certificate of Education (GCE).
Bassey under cross examination said he graduated in 1977 from Federal Government College, Sokoto.
He also told the tribunal that he did not collect his certificate and that his certificate was burnt by an accidental fire around 1983.
H also admitted that in another case at the Federal High Court, he had testified that fire burnt his certificate and that of others in his Alma Mata in 1986.
The official from Federal Government Sokoto, Mr. Sani Mohammed had earlier under cross examination said Sen. Bassey’s certificate and others were burnt in 1983.
It was also established before the tribunal that a letter from West African Examination Council (WAEC) to the Company Secretary of Cross River State Water Board that Bassey had a GCE and not WASC.
Petitioners, journalists and others were thoroughly searched by security operatives before they entered the court room.
Large number of party supporters from PDP and LP who thronged the court as early as 7.45 am were barred from entering the court premises by a detachment of armed policemen.
But Bassey was extensively booed by a partisan crowd outside the court room as he left the premises in a convoy of choice vehicles.
However after all parties had called all their witnesses, the Chairman of the tribunal Justice Christopher Awubra adjourned the case to Sept. 29 for submission of written addresses by the parties.
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