The NYSC on Thursday confirmed that it altered the discharge certificate of the Bayelsa state deputy governor Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo at his request. The Service, represented by Mrs Keziah Okonofua, stated this while testifying as a subpoenaed witness in the petition filed by Mr Ebizimo Diriyai, who contested the Nov. 16 governorship election in the state on the platform of Accord Party.

Diriyai had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Gov. Douye Diri; Ewhrudjakpo and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the tribunal. The petitioner is claiming in the petition that the deputy governor forged his NYSC exemption certificate, which he presented to contest the election.

The petitioner further alleged that the person Ewhrudjakpo claimed was his elder brother who deposed to his declaration of age was even younger than him going by the date of birth therein. Diriyai is seeking for an order of the tribunal to disqualify Diri and his deputy on the ground of the alleged forgery and declare him the duly elected governor having polled the second highest votes in the election.

The NYSC representative stated that she was before the tribunal as a subpoenaed witness to tender some documents and testify. She then tendered the subpoena, and two letters written and signed by her on behalf of the NYSC’s Director-General to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria police. According to the witness, the deputy governor asked that the Ewhrudjakpa on the certificate be changed to Ewhrudjakpo. She informed that the Service promptly changed the letter “a” to letter “o” on the certificate.Photo Credit: Getty