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Tag: Osun State governorship election

  • Court: Adeleke unfit to run for Osun governor

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja yesterday voided the participation of  Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Osun State.

    Justice Othman Musa, in a judgment,  annulled Adeleke’s nomination as candidate of the PDP on the grounds that he offended Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    The section states that candidates for governor must be educated up to secondary school level.

    Justice Musa said while the court’s findings showed that Adeleke entered secondary school in 1976, there was no record showing that he (Adeleke) actually graduated.

    The judge said Adeleke’s name was no longer seen in the school’s register from 1980.

    Justice Musa noted that the result Adeleke attached to the Form CF001, which he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was fake, as it was found to be different from the one presented to the court by the principal of Ede Muslim High School, Ede, Osun State.

    The judgment was on a suit filed by Wahab Adekunle Raheem and Adam Omosalewa Habeeb.

    The plaintiffs had accused Adeleke of not possessing the requisite educational qualification (secondary school certificate) to contest for the office of governor.

    They contented, among others, that Adeleke’s claim that he sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in May/June 1981 could not be true because Secondary School Certificate Examination had not been introduced then.

    The plaintiffs argued that what was in existence then was the West African School Certificate Examination.

    They urged the court to, among others, disqualify Adeleke from participating in the governorship election on the grounds that he did not possess the required educational qualification.

    Read also: Osun tribunal judgment: PDP supporters celebrate Adeleke’s victory

    At the preliminary stages in the case, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), in response to a September 11, 2018, ex-parte order by the court,  provided evidence that Adeleke sat for its May/June 1981 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.

    In its affidavit sworn to by Henry Sunday Adewunmi Osindeinde, a Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department, WAEC, said Adeleke sat for the May/June 1981 examination at Ede Muslim High School, Yidi Road, Ede, with Centre Number 19645 and Candidate Number 149.

    WAEC attached a copy of the results of all 122 candidates who sat for the May/June 1981 in Ede Muslim High School.

    In the attached results, Adeleke is listed as number 149. He sat for only English Language in which he scored F9.

    He was said not to have sat for Literature in English, Islamic Knowledge, Geography, Economics, Mathematics and Biology.

    Osindeinde said in the affidavit: “By virtue of my position as Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department, I have read the enrolled order of this court (specifically orders iv, v and vi) dated 11th September, 2018 directing and compelling the WAEC to depose to an affidavit confirming or denying the said orders contained in the said enrolled order and referred to in this paragraph and I wish to state as follows:

    “The said candidate named in this suit known as Adeleke Ademola, with Centre Number 19645 and Candidate Number 149, indeed sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in May/June 1981 conducted by the council at Ede Muslim High School situate at P. O. Box 6 Yidi Road, Ede, State of Osun.

    “The copy of the result listing referred to by the court order as the ledger containing the results of all the candidates (001 – 221) who sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in the said school is hereby certified, attached and marked: Exhibit WA1.”

    The plaintiff’s lawyer, Bankole Akomolafe hailed the court’s decision. Adeleke’s counsel Nathaniel Oke (SAN) faulted the judgement. He said the judge erred in law by going out of his way to source for evidence to arrive at his “unjust conclusion”.

    The lawyer said the court was wrong when it ignored WAEC’s evidence that Adeleke was educated up to secondary school as required by law.

    Oke said his client was  qualified for the election and met the constitutional requirement, having been educated to secondary school level.

    He said a High Court in Osun State had, in an earlier judgment, confirmed that Adeleke was qualified, having attended a secondary school.

    Oke said he drew the court’s attention to the fact that the case was statute barred in view of the fourth alteration to the Constitution, because as a pre-election matter it was filed outside the stipulated 14 days, but “the judge said my argument was an attempt to arrest his judgment”. “He went ahead to read the judgment.

    He went on: “They said he (Adeleke) did not attend secondary school. They (the plaintiffs) were the one who asked that officials of WAEC be subpoenaed to produce his result. And officials of WAEC tendered his result in court.

    What else do they want to prove that he was educated to secondary school level as required by the Constitution?”

    The lawyer said the issue had been settled by an earlier judgment of a High Court of Osun State, which held that Adeleke was qualified to stand election, having been educated up to secondary school level.

    “We have asked the judge to make the certified true copy of the judgment available to us on time, because we are appealing the judgment,” Oke said.

  • Why I shunned PDP’s offer for APC’s, by Omisore

    The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Osun State governorship election, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, has given an insight into why he rejected the offer by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to cooperate with it in today’s rerun election.

    Omisore and SDP leaders revealed in a number of communique that PDP leaders and the party’s candidate, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, are ‘not trustworthy, reliable and dependable in their past dealings’ with them.

    They added that judging by many standards; Gboyega Oyetola is a far better candidate than Adeleke who will likely do well for Osun State.

    The communiques were issued after meetings of leaders in each zone of the state including Iwo, Ijesa land, Ikirun and Ile-Ife.

    The SDP leaders recalled how Sen. Adeleke, with the collaboration of the National Chairman of the party, Chief Uche Secondus, “masterminded the conduct of another congress which rubbished the earlier congress already approved by the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) which favoured Otunba Omisore.”

    According to them, Adeleke has confirmed at different times as somebody that cannot be trusted judging by his previous alleged betrayals.

    The incidents, they claimed, include his initial agreement not to throw his hat into the governorship ring when he approached Omisore for his senatorial ambition; an agreement to have at least one legislative assistant ‘selected through each of the aspirants that stood down for him on which he reneged till date and alleged failure to respect the agreement to compensate Dr Akin Ogunbiyi with the deputy governorship slot, even when the election was at sight.”

    Now that the election would be over, the SDP leaders wondered how such a man can honour any agreement made.

    The SDP leaders also expressed the fear that the PDP governorship candidate would most likely be prosecuted for ‘aiding and abetting’ before he is sworn in or even be impeached for frivolous reasons by the House of Assembly shortly after his swearing-in.

    Additionally, the leaders viewed the control of the Federal Government by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as an advantage, stressing that the PDP is the ‘architect of the present predicament.’ They posited that joining forces with the party can spell doom for the SDP.

    They also stated that numerous leaders within the PDP will not allow the party to function well because “too many cooks spoil the dish (broth).’

    They added: “Because of the fact that we want the best for our people in Osun State, we see Oyetola as a more capable and qualified candidate.”

    They also posited that they would enjoy more possible positions and privileges in the APC government than in a PDP government.

    “The APC is a more reliable party than the PDP. For instance, the APC promised Isiaka Adeleke the senatorial ticket of Osun West and it was honoured unlike the promise made by the PDP to Dr Ogunbiyi which it reneged on.”

    Based on the above, the leaders concluded that the APC would be more beneficial to the state and SDP members.

    The communiques were signed by virtually all the leaders in the zones.

  • Oyetola‘ll deliver on healthcare, says Tinubu

    All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, will deliver on his healthcare promise, party’s national leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu said Wednesday.

    He spoke at the Osogbo Stadium during a visit to the venue of the free health mission initiated by Oyetola.

    Read Also:Osun guber poll: Lasun campaigns for Oyetola

    The free health care mission which started about 10 days ago had been taken to major towns in the state with about 30,000 people now treated. It will end Thursday with a round of treatment in Oyetola’s hometown Iragbiji in Boripe local government area.

    Tinubu, who received big ovation from those who turned out for treatment, told them that the APC candidate would “deliver on his promise to make good healthcare available to citizens” after taking office.

    He urged the beneficiaries to take their destiny in their hands by voting for Oyetola on Saturday.

    Tinubu told them that in democracy, “the only way to put a government in place is through the ballot box when people vote in their leaders.

    “You must ensure that you use your votes to bring in a credible leader who can deliver on his promise, by voting Oyetola.”

    He offered prayers to them in Islamic and Christian ways and promised those who unable to get treated that after his victory, Oyetola would assist them.

    Tinubu, who was accompanied by Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole, Osun State Commissioner for Heath Dr. Rafiu Isamotu and Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology Remi Omowaye, said Oyetola after he became the APC candidate, proposed the idea of a free medical mission which he supported.

    He expressed happiness that the efforts had been worth the while after listening to the testimony of some of the beneficiaries who promised to lead the campaign for Oyetola’s victory.

    Two men David Seriki and Francis Adewunmi said they had cataract surgery on h which almost left them blind.

    Two women Silifatu Ganiyu and Hanah Alabi also gave similar testimonies on the eye surgery.

  • PDP screens 11 aspirants for Osun guber poll

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is currently screening 11 aspirants that have indicated interest in the party’s ticket for the Osun State governorship election.

    The eleven aspirants are Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, Dr. Oyewumi Olalere, Oladipo Oke, Felix Ogunwale, Fatai Akinbade and Ezekiel Adeniyi.

    Others are Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, Ayoade Adewopo, Adejare Bello, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Prof Adeolu Durotoye.

    Chairman of the screening committee, Mr Austin Opara who spoke to journalists at the party’s Abuja secretariat on Monday, said the party would provide level playing field for all the aspirants.

    Opara said, “We are determined to do things right. The new leadership of the party has said we must rebrand the party. We will be guided by the guidelines of the party, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and the PDP constitution.

    “We will not import any material that is not in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the guidelines. The constitution for instance has specified the age limit, especially with the passage of the Not-Too-Young-To-Run Bill into law”.

    Opara announced that all the aspirants have returned their nomination documents and assured that the process will be transparent.

    “The exercise is a process and it is clear in all that the party is doing, including the screening that is taking place today. It is going to be very transparent because we want the best for the party and of course, the best for the party is the best for the country. We would be transparent and fair to all concerned.

    “At the end, we want the best for our nation. You can attest to the fact that things are falling apart in the country today as led by the ruling party, even in Osun State. The only party that can give Nigerians hope today is the PDP,” Opara said.