PDP explains discrepancy in Obaseki’s UI certificate

 

ADEMETO ADELEKAN

THE Peoples Democratic Party has explained the discrepancy in the University of Ibadan certificate of the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki.

The party said the governor, while filling the forms for the election in 2016, “had mistakenly filled in 1976 as the year of graduation, which was actually the year of his admission into UI.”

The PDP also explained that some information was missing in the certificate because the “original certificate was issued in A5 size. However, in order for the photocopy to be attached to the Form CF001, the size was reduced to A4 and in the process, leaving out some information on it.”

There had been a petition by the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and its governorship candidate, Iboi Emmanuel, accusing Governor Obaseki of forgery, giving false information and engaging in electoral malpractices.

The party asked the tribunal to disqualify Obaseki on the basis of an alleged controversial first degree certificate. 

It also prayed the tribunal to order the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh election and exclude only PDP and its candidate.

But the PDP noted, on Tuesday, that Obaseki observed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme, despite the errors pointed out, adding that the petition was incompetent and statute barred.

It also described it as a pre-election matter, which the tribunal could not entertain.

The party said, “At the time Obaseki was completing his Form CF001 in 2016, he deposed to an affidavit, saying he had misplaced the originals of all his certificates, while changing offices, with the intention to apply for a re-issuance of the certificates.

“Subsequently, before Obaseki submitted his Form EC9 in 2020, the original certificate issued by UI was found, which has the signatures of then Vice Chancellor and Registrar. The original certificate was issued in A5 size. However, in order for the photocopy to be attached to the Form CF001, the size was reduced to A4 and in the process, leaving out some information on it.

“The tribunal lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the petition because it is statute barred; the issues raised by the petitioners are averments which are not relevant in determining the petition.”