Akwa Ibom APC: We've established impersonation, forgery case against party 'chair' ― Police

Police have said that from the facts and available evidence in their case file, a prima facie case of impersonation and forgery has been established against the factional Chairman of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Stephen Leo Ntukekpo.

They have, therefore, advised that the suspect should be charged to court for prosecution over allegations of forgery and perjury.

This was contained in legal advice from the Police Legal Unit addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, (DIG), Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The legal advice titled, “Re: Case of Forgery and perjury,” and sighted by Tribune Online, was signed by the Commissioner of Police, Legal/Prosecution Section, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja, DCP, Ochogwu Ogbeh.

The legal advice also absolved the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Mike Igini of any complicity just as it affirmed that the investigation revealed that Mr Augustine Ekanem was duly elected as the State Chairman of APC during the party’s congress.

The Police recalled that the complainant, Yusuf Sheriff Banki, had in a letter to the Police with reference No. CB: 3514/X FHQ ABI/SEB T3 VOL. 4 209, dated 22nd June, 2022, requested for legal advice on the alleged case of forgery and perjury against Ntukekpo.

According to the Police, the petitioner in the case had written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) stating that he was the Chairman of the APC Congress Committee for Akwa Ibom State during the recently conducted nationwide Congress of the party.

The petitioner had further told the IGP: “That in his capacity as the Chairman, he (Banki) superintended over the Congress and submitted a report with a summary of result sheet to APC National Secretariat.

“That a couple of days ago, he was furnished with a Court Process by the Legal Department of his party from the Federal High Court Abuja between Stephen Leo Ntukekpo (the suspect) and two others and APC & three others where his signature was forged on several documents purported to be the result of Akwa Ibom State Congress.”

The Police further averred that “the petitioner denied and claimed that the documents are fake and the signature contained therein are forged.”

The Police in the report also said that after going through the facts, statements of parties and documents attached therein, it was observed that: “all the Seven-Man committee gave a statement to the police and they corroborated each other that election was held, vote counted in the presence of security agencies and delegates and Mr Augustine E. Ekanem was announced and declared the winner with 1,278 votes except Akeem Ayo Babalola whose statement differ from the six members of the commit, that there was no enough time to count the ballot papers one after the other as it was already late, that the chairman Hon. Yusuf Sharif Banki just announced the prepared list he has as winners of the congress elected and that he did not sign the Report as he was not happy with the Report.

“It was further observed that Akeem Ayo Babalola in his statement to the police did not disclose who was announced or declared as the winner of the election.

“It is also observed, that records received from both Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and the All Progressives Congress, APC Headquarters revealed that Augustine Ekanem is the State APC Chairman of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“That the Police extended the investigation to the National Chairman of APC and INEC to avail them with the certified true copy of the result sheet and documents showing the winner and the result sheet show that Augustine Ekanem is the winner.

“That Akeem Ayo Babalola who denied in his statement not to have signed the report as he was not happy with the report, documents supplied by the APC to the police shows he signed the report.”

The Police further submitted: “It is also observed that the suspect altered a copy of All Progressive Congress Summary result sheets which returned him as the winner of the election held in Akwa Ibom State purportedly signed by the Complainant and used same in support of his claim in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1635/2021 before Federal High Court Abuja wherein he is the First Plaintiff.”

Giving the advice, the Police stated: “From the facts and available evidence in the case file, we are of the considered opinion that a prima facie case of Impersonation and forgery has been established against the suspect, Stephen Leo Ntukekpo and therefore advise that the suspect be charged to court accordingly.

“This is respectfully forwarded to the Deputy Inspector General of Police for information and further directive please.”

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