Edo 2024: Court summons APC candidate, Okpebholo, over alleged age falsification

Court summons APC candidate, Okpebholo, over alleged age falsification in the buildup to the Saturday, September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

A Magistrates’ Court, sitting in Abuja, has summoned . Monday Okpebholo, All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, over alleged age falsification.

Okpebholo is charged with alleged forgery and perjury.

The suit , filed by a PDP Chieftain, Honesty Aginbatse, on September 12 alleged discrepancies in the birth dates provided in the nomination forms Okpebholo submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Okpebholo is to appear before magistrate , Abubakar Mukhtar on Sept 20.

Magistrate Mukthar adjourned the case to Sept. 20.

Aginbatse alleged that Okpebholo’s 2023 Senate nomination form listed his birth date as March 29, 1970.

He added that however, Okpebholo‘s 2024 governorship nomination forms contained Aug. 29, 1970 an an age declaration form and Aug. 29, 1972 on his West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate.

Aginbatse also alleged that Okpebholo, had Aug. 1, 1977 as his date of birth on his INEC voter card.

He stated that Under Section 182.1 (d) of the Nigerian Constitution, a conviction for offenses involving dishonesty or fraud disqualifies a person from running for governor, raising questions about Okpebholo’s eligibility if convicted.

NAN