Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos State, has dragged the candidate of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the December 5 senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, for alleged perjury and falsification of certificates.
The suit instituted against Gbadamosi on Monday is seeking his disqualification from the by-election.
The APC filed the suit through its counsel, Mr Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, and Mr Kemi Balogun, SAN.
Apart from Gbadamosi, another respondent in the suit is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the suit, the APC said that it studied the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate which Gbadamosi had submitted to the INEC in comparison with his certificate obtained from the official website of WAEC.
The party, in its writ of summons, claims that it discovered certain discrepancies in the certificates which, according to the APC, indicate that the WAEC certificate Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC might have been falsified.
It claims that some of the discrepancies observed in Gbadamosi’s WAEC certificate include 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 writ of summons.
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 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.
On these grounds, the APC asked the court to disqualify the PDP and Gbadamosi from contesting in the forthcoming senatorial by-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 December 5 senatorial bye-election in Lagos East, 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 alleges 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.’