Another legal twist was introduced to the December 5 Lagos East Senatorial bye-election as the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday dragged the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi before a Federal High Court, Ikoyi over alleged perjury and falsification of certificates.
The APC through its counsel, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) and Mr. Kemi Balogun (SAN) asked the court to disqualify Gbadamosi from contesting the bye-election.
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In the Suit NO: FHC/L/CS/1659/2020, the APC averred that it studied the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate, which Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC in comparison with his certificate obtained from the official website of WAEC.
This is coming after the PDP candidate had earlier sued the APC candidate, Mr. Tokunbo Abiru, seeking his disqualification over alleged double registration.
But APC in its writs of summons, claimed that it discovered certain discrepancies in the certificates, which according to the APC, were indicative of the fact that the WAEC certificate Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC might have been falsified.
The party claimed to observed discrepancies in the certificate saying the number of subjects the PDP candidate allegedly sat for “is different from the number of subjects he sat for as contained on the website of WAEC.”
“Also, the grades he claims to have received via the certificate is different from that contained on the official website of WAEC,” the APC declared in its writs of summon.
“The WAEC certificate, which Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC, revealed that the PDP candidate only sat for five subjects: English Language with A3 grade, Literature in English C5; History C5; Commerce C4 and Biology P7.
“However, details of Gbadamosi’s result obtained from WAEC’s official website revealed that the PDP candidate sat for eight subjects in which he had F-9 in Bible Knowledge; F-9 in Economics; F-9 in Mathematics; A-3 English Language; C-5 in Literature in English; C-5 in History; C-4 in Commerce and P-7 Biology.”
The APC, also, alleged that the PDP candidate filled Form EC9 that he attended the Lagos State University (LASU) after obtaining his WAEC certificate in 1985, arguing that this was suspicious “because he did not meet requirements for admission in the university.”
On these grounds, the APC asked the court to disqualify the PDP and Gbadamosi from contesting the forthcoming senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, which the INEC had rescheduled to hold on December 5
Apart from asking the court to disqualify the PDP candidate from contesting the election, the APC prayed that the court, also, “disqualifies him from contesting future elections in view of the falsified certificate he presented to the INEC.”
Also, in its statement of claims, the APC declared that it had painstakingly studied the Forms EC9 and CF001 Gbadamosi filled and submitted to the INEC for the purpose of the December 5 senatorial bye-election
The party alleged that the PDP candidate made several false declarations on oath regarding his working experience, his educational qualifications and certain other aspects.
It, also, alleged that Gbadamosi did not participate in the one year mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC), which according to the APC, indicated that making “false declarations on oath and failure to participate in the mandatory national service are offences under our several criminal laws.”
However, hearing in the case has not been fixed at the time of filing this report.
“Allegations Untrue”
But speaking with Daily Trust, Gbadamosi dismissed the allegations, saying the suit was to deflect attention from the suit he filed against the APC candidate.
“The fact remains that their candidate registered twice in the same polling unit as a voter and that is a crime under the law of Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, he attended Government Secondary School, Ikorodu and that his classmates are alive to testify to that. He added that the WAEC certificate he presented to the INEC is not different from the one obtained from the examination body.
He said, “I went to Government Secondary School, Ikorodu, among other schools and my classmates are still alive. People that I sat WAEC with are still alive and they can prove that I actually went to that school and that I actually sat for WAEC exam and that I actually got the results that I claimed to have gotten.”
He stated that when he filed his case against the APC candidate in court, he served the parties before going to the media.
“But by running into the media before serving me proved they are desperate.
“They are desperadoes, they want to hold on to power by all possible means even though they don’t know what to do with power, even though by holding on to power, they are actually making Nigerians suffer unnecessarily,” he said.
Gbadamosi however promised to defend himself in court after being properly served the court documents.
