Osun Election: Adeleke Forged Certificate — Tribunal

The Osun State governorship election petition tribunal has revealed how Ademola Adeleke, the state governor, allegedly forged his certificate.

The tribunal ruled on Friday that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate in the July 16 governorship election, Gboyega Oyetola, had proven Adeleke’s case of forgery.

The tribunal, however, ruled that the forgery case was insufficient to bar Adeleke from running in the election.

While delivering the decision, the three-man panel led by Justice Tertsea Kume noted that the petitioners were able to prove a forgery case against Adeleke because EC9, the affidavit in support of personal particulars about the governor, told “a lie about itself.”

On the issue of forgery, Justice B.A. Ogbuli, who issued a dissenting opinion in the case, agreed with the majority opinion on disqualification.

The tribunal held: 

Respondent through Mrs Joan Arabs produced FILE D which was tendered in evidence. The said exhibit FILE D is in respect of the election conducted by the 1st respondent in 2018.

Exhibit EC9, as earlier indicated, is the affidavit in support of the personal particulars of the 2nd respondent which he presented to the 1st respondent for the election of the 16th of July, 2022.

On page two of exhibit EC9, the 2nd respondent (Adeleke), in his handwriting, wrote under (1) School Attended (Educational qualification with dates: Thus: 2. Secondary Ede Muslim Grammar School, Eede – attended 1976 – 1981, Penn Foster High School Diploma -2021

3. Higher Atlanta Metropolitan State College – BSC Criminal Justice 2021.

On page 4, of exhibit EC9, there is a letter of attestation from Ede Muslim High School dated 22nd of May, 2016.

Learned counsel for the petitioners, as earlier stated, referred to the different names in the schools reproduced above and the evidence admitted by RW2 under cross-examination, that Osun State was created in 1991, and as such, any evidence that a qualifying certificate or document stating that it was from Osun State in 1981 is a forgery.