THE Department of State Services, (DSS) has contradicted the National Youths Service Corps, (NYSC) at the Election Petition Tribunal in Enugu over the NYSC discharge certificate of the state governor, Peter Mbah.
On Wednesday, the department claimed that the NYSC was hasty in its findings to conclude that NYSC discharge certificate issued to Mbah was fake.
According to the DSS in a Statement on Oath adopted by its operative, Mr. Yahaya Isa Mohammed, the certificates in Mbah’s series were found to have been issued to corps members in Lagos, contrary to the position of NYSC.
The DSS Deputy Director, Operations and Strategic Department, Mohammed, further disclosed that NYSC had misplaced Mbah’s original file and opened a temporary one for him, after he had completed Law School and returned to complete his service year.
Mohammed, subpoenaed to give evidence in defense of Mbah’s NYSC certificate accused NYSC certificate of not maintaining a proper record keeping system.
Mohammed said in their findings, “Mbah served for six months and went to Law School and later completed his youth service.
“NYSC provided the six-series certificate, which was signed and collected by corps members and the eight series.
“We discovered that the numbers are in series. But NYSC could not account for 12 certificates among which includes Mbah’s certificate”.
The Daily Post reported that the Labour Party (LP) countered the report, by the DSS official was personal.
The party’s lead counsel, Chief Adegoke Awomolo (SAN), observed that the report was not on department’s official letterhead and stamps as against the standard practice.
Under cross examination, Mohammed responded that his signature on the report was enough.
On why he did not show an authorizing letter or directive by the Director General of the DSS, Mohammed, said he appeared in court because of the subpoena.
When asked why the report he presented did not have attached documents backing his statement, he answered that they were in his office.
When Awomolo asked him if his investigation revealed that Mbah became the Chief of Staff to then governor, Chimaroke Nnamani between July 10, 2003 and November 2003, the same period he was supposed to be serving as corps member, Mohammed said no.