Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to disqualify the Peoples Democratic Party, PDPz candidate for the December 5 senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi.
The APC alleged that Gbadamosi committed perjury and falsification of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificates in the documents he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
It claimed that the PDP candidate made false declarations on oath regarding his work experience and did not participate in the one-year mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC programme), among other infractions.
Counsel to Lagos APC, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) filed the application in the suit marked: FHC/L/CS/1659/2020, against the PDP candidate and INEC.
They prayed the court for six reliefs, including a declaration that Gbadamosi’s June 1985 WAEC Certificate with No: NGSG 228391 presented to INEC “in support of his qualification to contest election to the office of the Governor of Lagos State in the 2019 election containing results and subjects materially different from that contained on the official website of the West African Examination Council, WAEC, is a forged Certificate.
It also prayed that by virtue of Section 66 (1) (i) of the Constitution Gbadamosi, “having submitted a forged WAEC Certificate to INEC, containing results and subjects materially different from that contained on the official website of WAEC, to contest the forthcoming 2020 Lagos East Senatorial District bye-elections, is not qualified for election into the Senate.”
The party also sought an order disqualifying Gbadamosi from contesting in the Senate race on the ground of alleged submission of a forged result to INEC.
It also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC “from according any form of recognition” Gbadamosi as a candidate nominated by any registered Political Party to contest for election to the Senate “having submitted a forged WAEC Certificate containing results and subjects materially different from that contained on the official website of WAEC”.
Lastly it prayed for an order voiding and or quashing any vote or votes scored by Gbadamosi “for being invalid, null and of no effect whatsoever as votes scored by an unqualified candidate.”
The APC averred in its statement of claim that it studied the June 1985 WAEC certificate Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC in comparison with his certificate obtained from the official WAEC website.
It claimed that it discovered certain discrepancies in the certificates, which were indicative that the WAEC certificate that Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC might have been falsified.
The party averred that the number of subjects in the certificate with INEC “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 claimant further averred that the WAEC certificate Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC, revealed that the PDP candidate sat for only five subjects: English Language with A3 grade, Literature in English C5; History C5; Commerce C4 and Biology P7.
But 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 after obtaining his WAEC certificate in 1985, which it argued, was suspicious because he did not meet requirements for admission in the university.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.
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