The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has sued the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the forthcoming Lagos East Senatorial bye-election, Babatunde Gbadamosi, over alleged perjury and certificate falsification.
The ruling party, in a statement on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Oluseye Oladejo, said Gbadamosi had been dragged before a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.
According to him, counsel to Lagos APC, Mr Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) and Mr Kemi Balogun (SAN), filed the suit at the court.
He said the suit was seeking to disqualify Gbadamosi from contesting the bye-election slated for December 5.
Oladejo said the APC filed the suit against the PDP candidate and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and supported it with documents to prove the case.
Oladejo said the APC averred that it had studied the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate submitted by Gbadamosi to INEC in comparison with his certificate obtained from the official website of WAEC.
He said the party, in its writs of summons, claimed that it discovered certain discrepancies in the certificates.
According to him, the discrepancies indicated that the WAEC certificate Gbadamosi submitted to INEC might have been falsified.
“Some of the discrepancies observed in Gbadamosi’s WAEC certificate include the number of subjects the PDP candidate allegedly sat for. This 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”.
According to him, the WAEC certificate, which Gbadamosi submitted to the INEC, revealed that the PDP candidate only sat for five subjects-English Language (A3), Literature in English (C5) History (C5) Commerce (C4) and Biology (P7).
He said, however, that details of Gbadamosi’s result obtained from WAEC’s official website revealed that the PDP candidate sat for eight subjects.
Oladejo said that on WAEC official website, Gbadamosi had F9 grades in Bible Knowledge, Economics and Mathematics while he had A3 English Language, C5 in Literature in English and History, C4 in Commerce and P7 in Biology.
The spokesman said the APC, also, alleged that the PDP candidate filled Form EC9 that he attended Lagos State University after obtaining his WAEC certificate in 1985.
Oladejo said the party argued this claim and described it as suspicious, because Gbadamosi 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 the forthcoming senatorial bye-election in Lagos East”.
According to him, the APC prayed that the court to also disqualify Gbadamosi from contesting future elections in view of the alleged falsified certificate he presented to the INEC.
Oladejo said the party, in its statement of claims, declared that it had painstakingly studied the Forms EC9 and CF001 Gbadamosi filled and submitted to the INEC for the purpose of the senatorial bye-election
The APC alleged that the PDP candidate made several false declarations on oath regarding his working experience, his educational qualifications and certain other aspects.
The APC spokesman added that the ruling party alleged that Gbadamosi did not participate in the one year mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC).
“False declarations on oath and failure to participate in the mandatory national service are offences under our several criminal laws”.
Gbadamosi had equally dragged APC senatorial candidate, Tokunbo Abiru, to court over alleged possession of two Permanent Voter Cards.
