The Zamfara Division of the Federal High Court, Gusau, has adjourned until October 27 for a definite hearing in the suit filed by the Northern Youth Assembly and others against Governor Bello Matawalle and three others for alleged perjury.

In the suit, the group alleged discrepancies in the academic and birth certificates Mr Matawalle presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to seek re-election in the 2023 poll.

The case, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, was later transferred to the Zamfara Federal High Court.

It was listed for mention on October 4 but adjourned until October 19 for further mention.

At the resumed hearing of the suit on Wednesday, the presiding Judge, Aminu Bappa-Aliyu, adjourned the case until October 27 for a “definite hearing.”

Speaking to journalists shortly after the adjustment, counsel to the first respondent (Mr Matawalle), Muhammad Shamsuddeen, holding brief for Ahmed Raji, SAN, said the first respondent filed a motion of preliminary objection on the matter.

He said the “plaintiffs were not known to law” as they were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as required.

Musbau Salaudeen, who appeared for the plaintiffs, declined to speak to the press, saying he had no clearance from his clients to do so.

However, the documents provided by the group, as contained in the suit FHC/GS/CS/27/2022, claimed there were three different dates of birth submitted on three occasions to INEC between 2015 and 2022.

In the suit, the petitioners claimed that the documents Mr Matawalle presented to INEC for 2015, 2019 and the 2023 elections regarding his secondary school qualifications were not the same.

The plaintiffs, therefore, prayed the court to declare a case of perjury and non-possession of valid minimum secondary school certificate against the governor.

Mr Bappa-Aliyu said the court would commence a definite hearing in the substantive suit on the adjourned date.

(NAN)