Alleged Certificate Forgery: Court Fixes June 10 for Trial of Kwara Gov-elect

A high court in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, presided over by Justice Adenike Akinpelu on Tuesday fixed June 10 for mention in a suit alleging that the state Governor-elect, Alhaji Abdulrahman  Abdulrasaq,  submitted forged West African Examinations Council(WAEC) certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the just concluded elections.

One Adekunle Abraham (claimant) had instituted a case against the governor-elect (defendant) in the state high court alleging that he presented fake WAEC result to INEC.

In his writ of summon Abraham alleged that “Governor-elect Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has given false information about his result and that that is what he deposed to in an affidavit.”

He also asked for an order of the court that Abdulrazaq is not the qualified candidate for the election, adding that “those are our prayers before the court.”

However, the case came up for mention yesterday, but counsel to the defendant, Lawal Jimoh, told the court he was still within the stipulated time.

He added that he was served on May 2, adding that the time elapsed June 2 this year, stating that he had filed a memorandum of appearance.

Speaking with journalists on the alleged perjury by his client, Jimoh said: “One Abraham Adekunle took the governor-elect to court in respect of the credentials submitted to INEC saying they were forged.

“We were served on May 3 this year and we have one month to file our defence. We are still within the time limits. Our time will elapse June 2. Immediately we were served on May 2, we filed our memorandum of appearance on the matter. We are ready for the matter.

“The governor-elect did not present fake WAEC result to INEC to contest the 2019 governorship election. He attended Government College in Kaduna and of course, he wrote his WAEC in 1976. The records are there. They are clear. I am very sure,” Jimoh said.

Also speaking, counsel Oludele Ola said: “In accordance with the Electoral Act, any person who is reasonably believed that information deposed to in an affidavit by a candidate to an election is false has the locus standi to institute an action prior to election either at the federal or state high court. And it is upon this ground that the claimant in this case has filed this action.

“Actually, this case is slated for mention today (yesterday) because the defendant is yet to file their statement of defence, though they have filed a memorandum of appearance. The court said they were still within the time to file for their defence.

“The defendant deposed to an affidavit that he got a WAEC certificate dated 1976, and based on our findings, it is a cock and bull story. As a matter of fact, it is perjury. The WAEC result in question is the one the governor-elect submitted to the INEC while filing the commission’s form.”

The presiding judge, therefore, adjourned the case till June 10, 2019, for mention.