A United States-based cleric, Bishop Kenneth Obi, has been left stranded in Nigeria while lamenting the refusal of an American airline, Delta Airlines, to allow him to board his flight back to the US.

Obi, who arrived in Nigeria on February 18 for a church anniversary, attended a programme in Edo State from February 19 to 21 before travelling to Imo State for another event from March 5 to 9.

However, on March 12, while preparing to leave Imo State, the cleric said he discovered that his green card was missing.

Obi who spoke to TheNigerian Metro on Saturday however said the e-copy of the green card and other travel documents he presented on getting to the airport were rejected.

He said, “I came to Nigeria from the US where I have been living for over 40 years and I arrived on February 18 for our church anniversary. The first programme was held in Edo from February 19 – 21. And I thereafter proceeded to Imo State for the second anniversary from March 5–9. When I finished the programme, I prepared to leave because I had a return ticket, my flight left Atlanta on February 17 and went back on March  19.

“On March 12, while preparing to leave Imo State, I discovered that I could not find my green card. So, I made a police report, got an affidavit and having got the police to extract a copy of the e-copy of my green card attached, I came to Lagos to board my flight but unfortunately, my flight was cancelled on March 19. So, I met with one of the managers of the airline and I explained my situation and they sent me to the embassy.”

According to him, the embassy officials confirmed the validity of his documents and stated that the airline should allow him to board.

He, however, said the airline representatives refused, insisting that he needed official travel documents from the embassy before he could travel.

“So, I went back to the embassy where they told me that if the airline could not board me, then I needed to begin the process of getting travel documents but they did not specify how long it would take,” he added.

Obi, frustrated by the delay, said his prolonged stay in Nigeria was causing him financial and emotional distress.

He also called on the appropriate authorities to intervene in his plight.

“I have been living in the United States for over 40 years and I have been a green card holder for more than 38 years. I am just confused right now and I hope the appropriate authorities will do something about this as soon as possible.

“I have all the documentation, but it is just that I don’t have the physical green card. This is so frustrating because my continual stay here will bring untold hardship to myself and to my family who are in the US,” he added.

Reacting, Delta Airlines in a statement signed by its management and seen by our correspondent on Sunday said photocopies of original travel documents were not considered valid for international travel.

The statement added that the passenger was advised to visit the U.S. Embassy to obtain the necessary travel documentation according to standard procedure.

“Delta would like to clarify the circumstances regarding a recent passenger inquiry. The individual in question presented a photocopy of a U.S. Green Card at our check-in counter, stating that the original was lost in Nigeria. As per international travel regulations, airlines are only permitted to accept original travel documents, such as passports and Residence Permits. Photocopies are not considered valid for international travel.

“By standard procedures, the passenger was advised to visit the U.S. Embassy to obtain the necessary travel documentation. Upon returning, the passenger informed us that the embassy required additional time to process his request. He then requested that the airline send the photocopy of his document to the U.S. authorities for approval.

“Our team reiterated that the only viable options were for him to await the embassy’s response or to return to the embassy and emphasize the urgency of his travel situation. As the issuing authority, only the embassy can provide the necessary transportation letter or replacement document.”

The airline however assured the passenger that his ticket would remain open until he obtained the appropriate travel documents.

“As per global airline policies, international carriers cannot accept photocopies of travel documents or passports for boarding. Delta remains committed to upholding international travel regulations while ensuring the best possible support for our passengers. We encourage all travellers to verify their documentation requirements before arriving at the airport to avoid any inconvenience,” the statement added.

The Edo State Governorship Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City on Saturday admitted more documents from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo.

According to report PDP and its candidate, Ighodalo, are challenging the declaration of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo as the winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The tribunal had on Friday, January 17, 2025 provisionally admitted 1004 documents from the PDP and Ighodalo as exhibits.

During the continuation of the hearing at the weekend, the petitioners tendered more documentary evidence to support the petitions.

The additional documents tendered by Ken Mozia, SAN, counsel to the petitioners are 55 Certified True Copies, CTC, of polling Units Voters registers used in the election and CTC of 56 accreditation figures of extracts from INEC’s Bimodal Voters Accreditation Systems Machines, BVAS.

Also tendered are 72 Certified True Copies of extracts of accreditation figures from the BVAS devices, 75 Certified True Copies of INEC’s Results Viewing (IREV) Containing Form EC8A and 70 CTCs’ of INEC’s Polling Units Booklets, containing Form EC25B.

The petitioners further tendered CTC of 66 copies of polling Units Voters Registers and 125 copies of Form EC8A from IREV directly certified by INEC, 101 copies of Form EC8A, CTC of BVAS of Polling Unit reports as well as certificate of compliance by INEC.

Others are CTC of certificate of compliance, with BVAS machines’ reports in respect of the 133 Polling Units earlier tendered as exhibit in the petitions.

Mozia said, “My Lords, we wish to tender CTC of Copy of serial numbers BVAS machines’ deployed to 133 Polling Units and Certificate of Compliance.”

However, counsel to the respondents, Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, Offiong Offiong, SAN, and Chief Ferdinand Orbih, SAN, raised objections to the admissibility of the documents.

They however reserved reasons for the objections to the admissibility of the petitioners’ documents to the final written address stage.

While counsel to the 1st Respondent, INEC, Aliyu did not object to the admission of certificate of compliance with BVAS machines used in 133 polling units, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd respondents, Governor Monday Okpebholo and APC, Offiong and Orbih objected and reserved reasons to the final addresses.

According to report PDP and its candidate, Ighodalo, are praying the court to declare them winner of the election, claiming that they scored the highest valid votes cast in the election.

The Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City on Friday admitted 1004 documents tendered before it by Dr Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in the election.

According to report the candidate and his party are challenging the conduct of the election as well as the declaration of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Monday Okpebholo as winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Ken Mozia, counsel to the petitioner, tendered the documents at the resume hearing of the petition.

The 1004 documents tendered are all admitted as exhibits by the three-man tribunal chaired by Justice Wilfred Kpochi.

The documents included the Certified True Copies (CTC) of INEC declaration of results forms EC8A-E and Local Government Areas summary of results used for the conduct of the September 21, 2024 Governorship Election in the State.

Also tendered are Certified True Copies of Form EC8Cs, covering the 18 Local Government Areas in the state.

Certified True Copies, CTC of Forms EC8B (Wards Results Sheets) used for the conduct of the election in the 192 Wards in the state were also tendered in support of the petitioners cases.

The petitioners further tendered in evidence 320 Certified True Copies of Form EC8A documents (polling Units results sheets),

Others tendered by the petitioners are 318 CTCs of INEC’s Polling Units Booklets, each containing Form EC25D and 58 CTCs of Forms EC8A (IREV).

At the tendering of the documents, Mozia said the verification of the over 1004 documents were duly done in the presence of the lawyers of the parties and the tribunal Registrar.

Despite, the objection to the admissibility of the documents by respondents counsel which include Kanu Agabi, SAN, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN and VC Dewigwe, the tribunal admitted them as exhibits.

The respondents counsel said they would be giving reasons for the objections to the petitioners’ CTC documents at the final address of the petition.

Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led tribunal, however, provisionally admitted all the documents tendered in evidence and marked them as exhibits.

“Learned counsel to the respondents shall state their reasons for their objections at the address stage”, said Justice Kpochi

The tribunal, however, adjourned to Saturday, January 18, 2025 for continuation of hearing as the petitioners are expected to tender more documents in support of their petitions.

DAILY POST reported that with the admission of the documentary evidence the Petitioners Dr. Ighodalo and PDP would proceed to lead oral evidence in support of the petitions.

The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Wednesday adjourned hearing on Asue Ighodalo and the Peoples Democratic Party’s petitions to Friday, January 17, 2025, to enable parties in the suit to have a pre-hearing meeting with the court registry on the way to go about presentation of documents by the petitioners.

According to report the Justice Wilfred Kpochi- led three-man adjourned hearing of the petition on Friday, January 17, 2025.

Justice Kpochi slated Thursday, January 16, 2025 for the parties in the petition to have a pre-hearing meeting with the court registry.

The adjournment of the petitions followed the motion by Adetunji Oyeyipo, SAN, petitioners’ lead counsel, that his clients were ready to tender carefully arranged documents used in the conduct of the election.

Oyeyipo represented by Ken Mozia told the court that the documents set to tender from the bar were arranged in a way to make the entire process seamless for parties before the court.

However, counsel to Governor Monday Okpebholo, APC and INEC, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, Emmanuel Ukala SAN, and Kanu Agabi, SAN, respectively, opposed the motion of the petitioners’ counsel.

The trio averred that the documents should have be filed before the court before same can be admitted as exhibits.

Meanwhile, as the tribunal fully commenced hearing of petitions before it, a 70 years old Victoria Ogbebor testified for Dr Bright Enabulele the candidate of Accord Party, AP.

The 70-year-old witness told the tribunal that she acted as a unit agent in Unit 32 for her party in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area during the election.

When asked by the respondents counsel if she knew Enabulele, she said that she may know the name.

The counsel to the petitioner, J.A. Dagher, also called two other witnesses.

The two other witnesses are Mr.Zakaria Wisdom Yahaya and Daisy Nwanchukwu.

Yahaya in his witness statement prayed the court to rely on it in support of the petitioner’s case.

He told the court that the conduct of the election in his Polling Unit 28, Ward 8, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area where he functioned as a polling unit agent for the party, AP were married with irregularities such as ballots stuffing.

When cross examined by Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN, Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, and Abdullahi Aliyu, SAN, counsel to the 1st to 3rd respondents, the witness also told the court that he functioned as ward agent for his party.

The third witness for the petitioners Daisy Nwanchukwu told the tribunal that she functioned as a polling Unit agent in Oredo Unit 9, Ward 3.

Nwanchukwu, when asked by the respondents if she was given an agent card by INEC to function in the election, answered in the negative.

The tribunal adjourned continuation of hearing to Thursday, January 16, 2025.

However, speaking with journalists shortly after the adjournment, Ighodalo, candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, expressed confidence in the judiciary of reclaiming his mandate.

Ighodalo also commended the people of the state for their overwhelming votes during the governorship election.

“I want to use this opportunity to commend the people of Edo State for coming out en masse to vote for us on September 21, 2024 and for keeping faith with us.

“They have been very calm in the face of intimidation, harassment in the last three months in the state.

“We strongly believe that the judiciary will do the right thing and we are looking forward to the outcome of the Tribunal proceedings”, he stated.

According to report seven petitions challenging the declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo as winner of the 2024 Edo State Governorship Election were filed before the tribunal.

The petitioners are Asue Ighodalo, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Accord Party, AP, Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Action Democratic Party, ADP, Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, and the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

According to report the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had on September 22, 2024, declared Senator Monday Okpebholo Okpebholo, the APC candidate winner of the election with 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival Dr Asue Ighodalo of PDP, who polled 247,274 votes.