May 4, 2008
Saharareporters, New York
An Ondo State election petition tribunal sitting in Akure canceled the election of a member of the federal house of representatives, Alfred Agboola Ajayi for reasons related to certificate forgery. Hon. Agboola is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) who represents the Ilaje/ Ese-Odo federal constituency in the Nigeria house of representatives.
Since winning the controversial April elections, the rep member who heads the house committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been dogged with allegations of certificate forgery involving hiring mercenaries to write his school certificate examination on his behalf. Certificates presented at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows that his age, given as 38 years did not tally with that of the individual named in West African examination Council records submitted with INEC which gave a 1980 date of birth.
Justice Okungbuwa at the state tribunal gave the ruling annulling the election. The ruling effectively annulled the election on all the three grounds of the petition filed by the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) , Olubukola Ebietomiye.
Ebietomiye, through his counsel, Barrister Sola Ebiseni, had prayed the tribunal to nullify the election of Mr.Ajayi on the grounds that he was not academically qualified to contest the polls as prescribed by Section 66 of the 1999 Constitution by proving before the tribunal that Ajayi presented a forged certificate to INEC, also that the election was not conducted in tune with the Electoral Act 2006 due to widespread irregularities and massive disenfranchisement.
Apart from annulling the elections, the tribunal also disqualified Mr. Ajayi from participating in future elections that may be conducted as a result of the ruling, the tribunal also awarded N10,000 cost against Ajayi in its ruling.
An Ondo State election petition tribunal sitting in Akure canceled the election of a member of the federal house of representatives, Alfred Agboola Ajayi for reasons related to certificate forgery. Hon. Agboola is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) who represents the Ilaje/ Ese-Odo federal constituency in the Nigeria house of representatives.
Since winning the controversial April elections, the rep member who heads the house committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has been dogged with allegations of certificate forgery involving hiring mercenaries to write his school certificate examination on his behalf. Certificates presented at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows that his age, given as 38 years did not tally with that of the individual named in West African examination Council records submitted with INEC which gave a 1980 date of birth.
Justice Okungbuwa at the state tribunal gave the ruling annulling the election. The ruling effectively annulled the election on all the three grounds of the petition filed by the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) , Olubukola Ebietomiye.
Ebietomiye, through his counsel, Barrister Sola Ebiseni, had prayed the tribunal to nullify the election of Mr.Ajayi on the grounds that he was not academically qualified to contest the polls as prescribed by Section 66 of the 1999 Constitution by proving before the tribunal that Ajayi presented a forged certificate to INEC, also that the election was not conducted in tune with the Electoral Act 2006 due to widespread irregularities and massive disenfranchisement.
Apart from annulling the elections, the tribunal also disqualified Mr. Ajayi from participating in future elections that may be conducted as a result of the ruling, the tribunal also awarded N10,000 cost against Ajayi in its ruling.
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