Adeleke’s Certificate: PDP Cautions Police, Says ‘Ekiti Model’ Will Fail in Osun

• Party candidate faces fresh suit over certificate

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies against moves to use its men to harass and intimidate PDP leaders, especially the governorship candidate of the party in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

Also, barely 24 hours to the final judgment on a suit challenging the candidature of Adeleke in the September 22 governorship election in the state, a fresh suit been has been filed at the state High Court against the PDP candidate over alleged forgery of school certificate.

The PDP said it was of the opinion that some powerful members of the ruling party are using policemen to harrass Adeleke over ‘largely unsubstantiated allegations regarding his certificate’.
The opposition party in a statement issued by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Prince Diran Odeyemi, in Osogbo, said regardless of the antics of All Progressives Congress (APC) and its accomplices, the people of the state have resolved to end the seven years of hunger under Governor Rauf Aregbesola leadership in the September governorship election.

Rather than acting as an attack dog for the APC, the country’s main opposition party said it would appreciate the police forming themselves into a political party and come out clear as enemy of PDP, cautioning that the people of the state would go all out to monitor their votes to ensure that the outcome of the poll reflects the wish of the majority.

“We are just advising the police to take a plunge into politics rather than serving as attack dog for APC. The organisation should register Nigeria Police Personnel Party (NPPP) and present candidate for election. We have been reliably informed about the involvement of powerful men in President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the wild goose chase using the police to harass and frustrate our candidate over his educational qualification after his clearance by INEC. ‘Ekiti Model’, where policemen were used to do technical rigging by molesting our members will fail in Osun State. The people of this state have slept on empty stomach for most days under Aregbesola’s administration and they want to end that misery on September 22 by voting Ademola Adeleke of PDP,” the PDP explained in the statement.

Meanwhile, barely 24 hours for the court to deliver judgment on a suit challenging the candidature of Adeleke, fresh suit has been filed against the PDP candidate over his certificate.
The fresh suit was filed by two PDP delegates, Olagboye Adedamola and Oyetunji Suredi ,over the testimonial and statement of results presented by the senator to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which they claimed were fake documents.

The applicants premised their suit on Section 31 (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act 2010 which gave powers to individuals to challenge in court any candidate who they suspected to have presented fake documents or false affidavits to the electoral body.
Adeleke has been embroiled in certificate scandal with two members of the PDP, Rasheed Olatunji and Idowu Oluwaseun going to court to challenge the senator to present his credentials, citing section 177 (d) of the Nigeria Constitution.

Already, the court presided over by Justice David Oladimeji has fixed final judgment on August 8, 2018.
In the fresh suit, the applicants also dragged to court the PDP, the state Chairman of the party, Hon. Soji Adagunodo and his state executive council members and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the hearing of the matter before the state vacation judge, Justice Oladimeji, the plaintiffs asked for an abridged date for the respondents to appear after the service within seven days instead of 21 days, and the court order to allow them to advertise all their applications in the national dailies.