Lagos By-election: APC Accuses PDP Candidate, Gbadamosi, Of WAEC Certificate Forgery
The All Progressives Congress in Lagos has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to disqualify the Peoples Democratic Party candidate for the December 5 senatorial by-election in Lagos-East, Babatunde Gbadamosi.
The APC alleged that Gbadamosi committed perjury and falsification of West African Examinations Council certificate in the documents he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
It also claimed that the PDP candidate made false declaration on oath regarding his work experience and did not participate in the one-year mandatory National Youth Service among other infractions.
Counsel to Lagos APC, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), filed the application in the suit marked: FHC/L/CS/1659/2020, against the PDP candidate and INEC, claiming that it discovered certain discrepancies in the certificates, which were indicative that the WAEC result that Gbadamosi submitted to INEC might have been falsified.
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, 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-election, is not qualified for election into the Senate.”
The APC also prayed the court 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 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.”
No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed December 9, 2020, for hearing in a suit seeking to disqualify Tokunbo Abiru, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming Lagos-East East Senatorial District bye-election.
The suit filed by Babatunde Gbadamosi, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the poll, is also seeking the disqualification of the APC for fielding ineligible candidate.
Gbadamosi prayed the court to disqualify Abiru on the ground that he registered twice and possesses two voter cards.
Gbadamosi said the act was a violation of Section 31 of the Electoral Act. (SaharaReporters)