Hon. Sunday Oche Cleared Of Forgery Allegation, Calls For Politics Without Bitterness

The Executive Chairman of Ado Local Government Area in Benue State, Hon. Oche Sunday Oche, has expressed gratitude to God and the judiciary following his discharge and acquittal in a long-drawn criminal case of alleged forgery brought against him by Hon. Michael Unogwu.
 
Speaking during an interview earlier today, Hon. Oche described his victory in court as “a triumph of truth over politically motivated falsehood,” recounting how the matter began as a fallout of political rivalry dating back to the 2019 elections.
 
According to him, the dispute originated from the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primaries held in 2018, where he claimed to have won the party ticket before his name was substituted with that of Hon. Unogwu. Dissatisfied with the substitution, he said he appealed to the party leadership, which later reinstated his candidacy, noting that all relevant documents confirmed he was the rightful candidate.
 
“After the substitution was corrected, Unogwu became aggrieved and accused me of forging his signature in the letter of withdrawal,” Oche explained. “He filed a criminal suit, but it was later abandoned and struck out by the court.”
 
The local government chairman said the issue resurfaced years later, in the build-up to the 2023 elections, when Unogwu instituted another direct criminal complaint against him. “This was purely politically motivated,” Oche said. “Each election period, he resurfaces with the same unfounded allegation. Even the police knew it was a baseless political witch-hunt.”
 
He narrated how he honoured several police invitations in Abuja and provided his statement, insisting he had nothing to hide. “I went personally to clear my name. The Commissioner of Police then, Mr. Kolo, invited both of us for questioning, but Unogwu could not substantiate any of his claims. When the police could not proceed due to lack of evidence, I petitioned the Inspector General of Police to charge the case to court so that justice could be served,” Oche revealed.
 
Eventually, the case was brought before the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Dutse, Abuja, presided over by Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Ahmed Ilelah. After reviewing the facts, the court dismissed the case for lack of evidence and described it as politically motivated.
 
“The court found that there was no basis to even open a prima facie case against me,” Oche said. “I am grateful to God and to the judiciary for doing justice. The people of my constituency now have more confidence in me because they have seen the truth for themselves.”
 
Hon. Oche alleged that his political opponent has often been sponsored by people who see him as a threat. “Each time certain politicians want to destabilize me, they hire him to resurface this same case. But I thank God it has finally come to an end,” he said.
 
Reflecting on the experience, he advised politicians to focus on development rather than character assassination. “My advice to politicians is simple — play decent politics. You must not rise by bringing others down. Blackmail, lies, and destroying people’s reputation add no value to your political journey. True politics should be about development, not hatred,” Oche said.
 
He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to serving his people faithfully and promoting peace and progress in Benue State under the leadership of the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Rev. Dr. Hyacinth Alia.
 
“I remain grateful to my people for standing by me and to the court for upholding justice. This victory is not just mine it’s for every honest politician who believes in integrity,” he said.