Senator in certificate forgery scandal

The governorship ambition of Senator Ademola Adeleke of the peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun state may be dashed following allegations that he do not have a school certificate as required by section 177 (d) of the 1999 constitution.

Subsequently, the Osun State High Court has ordered the senator to produce his secondary school certificate within seven days.

Messrs Rasheed Olabayo and Oluwaseun Idowu had prayed the court to disqualify Adeleke for not possessing a school certificate, as required by Section 177 (d) of the 1999 Constitution.

They also asked the court to set aside the July 21 primary that produced Adeleke as the party’s governorship candidate.

In his ruling yesterday on the ex-parte application, Justice David Oladimeji, advised Adeleke to present his secondary school certificate before the court on Aug. 1.

Oladimeji held that the ex-parte injunction has only seven days lifespan, adding there are still windows left open till August 8, according to the affidavits sworn to by the applicants.

“It will be inequitable not to allow the respondent to come and show his certificate, if he has any. But if given the opportunity to present his side of the case, the balance, which is necessary for interlocutory injunction, would be adequately considered.”

Justice Oladimeji adjourned the motion on notice till August 1 for hearing.

Also, Adeleke has accused those he called “fifth columnists” for his travail.

Addressing reporters in Abuja on Thursday, his Director of Media and Publicity, Adeleke Campaign Organisation, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, said fifth columnists were playing out an alleged “destructive? script of their paymaster” against the PDP.

Rasheed noted that while the campaign organisation recognised the right of any aggrieved aspirant to seek redress, the development, he said, raised discomforting questions about the real motive of the challenging camp.

Some PDP’s governorship candidates had earlier dragged Adeleke court for alleged non-possession of primary school certificate.

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The members are seeking that the court grant an interim order to set aside results of the governorship election that produced Adeleke.

The plaintiffs are also asking the court to grant an order restraining the PDP from presenting Adeleke’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the September 22nd governorship poll.