THE West African Examination Councils (WAEC) has cleared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke, of certificate forgery brought against him by two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Council in an affidavit deposed to by one Osindeinde Henry Sunday Adewunmi and filed at the registry of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, confirmed that the PDP gubernatorial candidate sat for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination in May/June 1981.
In the four-paragraph affidavit filed in compliance with the order of Justice Othman Musa directing the examination body to supply the court with particulars of the said Adeleke in the 1981 examinations, WAEC confirmed that Adeleke sat for the examination at Ede Muslim High School situate at Yidi Road, Ede, Osun State with Center Number 19645.
The affidavit deposed to by Osindeinde, Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department accompanied with the ledger containing the names and results of all the candidates from number 001 to 221 who sat for the secondary school certificate examination in the said school.
The certified true copy of the ledger, however, indicated that Senator Adeleke, who is currently representing Osun West senatorial district in the Senate, sat for only English Language in the examination.
Two APC chieftains, Wahab Adekunle Raheem and Adam Omosalewa Habeeb, had dragged the PDP candidate before an Abuja High Court praying the court for an order to disqualify him from participating in the September 22 governorship election in Osun State on the ground that he was not having requisite education qualification.
The plaintiffs in an ex-parte application argued by their counsel, Mr. Bankole Joel Akomolafe, on September 11 claimed that the PDP candidate did not sit for the WAEC examination in 1981 because the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination had not been introduced in the country as of 1981.
They further alleged that the National Examination Council (NECO) examination he claimed to have sat for could not be genuine because NECO had not been established at the time Adeleke claimed to have sat for the examination.
The Plaintiffs therefore prayed the court to restrain Adeleke from parading himself as the governorship candidate of PDP in the coming Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
They also prayed the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC from recognizing Adeleke as a candidate in the governorship election.
Justice Musa had in his ruling on the ex-parte application on September 11 refused to bar Adeleke and also refused to make any order against INEC but however, ordered Adeleke to appear before the court on September 19 to show cause on why he should not be disqualified from participating in Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
The judge also ordered WAEC to swear to affidavit to confirm or deny participation of Adeleke in the 1981 WAEC examination and to also make available to the court the ledger containing names and results of candidates for 1981 WAEC examination.
In response to the court order, WAEC admitted that the PDP candidate actually sat for the SSCE in 1981.
Although the case was to be heard Wednesday, Justice Musa was said to have gone on an official assignment thereby making it impossible for the court to make pronouncement on the WAEC report.
Meanwhile, hearing in the matter has been adjourned till next week Tuesday.
However, counsel to Adeleke, Mr. Nathaniel Oke (SAN), while reacting to the findings of WAEC at the court premises told newsmen that the case of the plaintiffs had died.
He further said that he was happy with the finding as it will enable his client to comfortably participate in Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Bankole Joel Akomolafe, also reacting confirmed the response if WAEC served on him and that he will get in touch with his clients to determine the next line of action in respect of the case.