Principal of school in Sanwo-Olu’s certificate fled
Emmanuel Ukudolo I Monday, June 19, 2023
IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – A witness of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Sakiru Olanibiwonnu Apena today told the Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Lagos how he discovered that the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is parading a fake certificate of the West African Examination Council, WAEC.
Apena who was testifying as a second witness called by counsel to the PDP, Mr. Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN in the matter between Dr. Olajide AbdulAzeez Adeniran Vs INEC, Lagos State Governor, APC and the Labour Party said his principal, the governorship candidate of the PDP informed him about his findings after which he and Azeez Adediran bought a WAEC scratch card and proceeded to a business centre to make their findings.
He told the tribunal that the number in the certificate the Lagos State Governor tendered to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was entered into the website and the website returned result that there was no certificate bearing such a number in WAEC.
Apena, who was cross examined by counsel to all the respondents said he and the Adeniran did not end up the search on WAEC website: “We proceeded to Ijebu Mushin Community Grammar School to meet the principal of the school”, he said.
According to him, the principal of the school was initially uncooperative but that when he saw the seriousness attached to the issue, he simply told them he is coming and “he fled”, Apena, a former Deputy Chairman of the Lagos State PDP told the tribunal.
He equally told the court that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat were not validly nominated and sponsored for the March 18 Governorship election by the APC.
He told the court that while form EC9 submitted by APC for Sanwo-Olu to INEC was signed by the commissioner for oath, that of his deputy was not signed by the commissioner for oath, adding that the development renders the EC9 submitted to INEC null and void.
He also informed the tribunal that Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy violated relevant provision of the Electoral Act by not submitting Form EC9 to INEC within the required time frame, adding that when they checked upon expiration of the time frame, APC was yet to submit the form to INEC.
Earlier, the tribunal admitted 12 out of the 14 affidavits filed by the petitioner through their lawyer, while two affidavits, which were letters from one of the respondents to INEC were withdrawn following objections.
Besides, the third witness, WAEC could not be taken. Lawyer to the petitioner told the court that representative of WAEC turned up during break but failed to turn up with documents ordered in his subpoena and begged the court for another date when the witness would be in court with all that is required by the petitioner.
Counsel to the petitioner, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN specifically requested for Thursday, June 22, 2023 which was agreed by the petitioners but after robbing minds, the three man tribunal adjourned to Wednesday, June 23 for the petitioner to call his last witnesses and close his case.
