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Tag: adeleke

  • We didn’t see Adeleke in exam hall, witnesses tell court

    We didn’t see Adeleke in exam hall, witnesses tell court

    Two witnesses in the ongoing trial of Sen. Ademola Adeleke on a seven-count amended charge bordering on examination malpractice on Wednesday told the Federal High Court Abuja that they did not see the senator in the examination hall.

    The witnesses, Mr Emmanuel Adesola and Enoch Adigun, both teachers, while being led in evidence by the prosecutor Mr Simon Lough, told the court that they invigilated examinations at Ojo -Aro Community Grammar School in Osun State in 2017.

    Adesola told the court that when he got to school, he asked for the school album but was told it was not ready.

    According to him, “I could not identify any student without the school album since it was my first time there so the principal and the register helped me to identify them as I used the list I had to call the students into the hall.

    “I didn’t see any of the defendants in the examination hall; Sen. Adeleke was not in the examination hall, he is a public figure so I would have recognised him,” the witness told the court.

    The witness who further told the court that he had been supervising National Examination Council (NECO) examination for the past five years also told the court that there were four elderly students in the hall.

    While being cross examined by Mr Alex Iziyon, (SAN), the witness said that he did not make a formal report on the absence of a school album to his superiors even though he ought to have done so.

    He also told the court that on the day he invigilated, he did not witness any form of examination malpractice in the hall.

    On his part, Adigun told the court that he saw the second defendant, Sikiru Adeleke in the examination hall while he was invigilating.

    According to Adigun, I was surprised to see him because he was the most matured student in the hall but when I checked and saw that he had an identity card duly stamped by the school, I had to allow him write the examination.

    Adigun said that he didn’t see Adeleke in the examination hall or any of the other defendants besides Sikiru.

    The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter until June 10 and 11 for continuation of hearing.

    Adeleke was first arraigned by the Federal Government in Sept. 2018 on a four-count charge bordering on examination malpractice, along with his brother, Sikiru Adeleke and three others.
    The senator pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on self-recognizance by the court.
    The others were Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal, Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Ojo-Aro Osun), Gbadamosi Ojo (School Registrar) and Dare Olutope (a teacher).

     

    The police accused them of fraudulently registering Adeleke and his brother Sikiru as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School in Ojo-Aro, Osun State, for the National Examination Council’s June/July 2017 Senior School Certificate Examination in Feb. 2017.

    They were re-arraigned in Dec. 2018 on a seven-count amended charge bordering on examination malpractice.

  • Certificate forgery: Court nullifies nomination of Adeleke for Osun guber poll

    Certificate forgery: Court nullifies nomination of Adeleke for Osun guber poll

    An Abuja High Court on Tuesday nullified the nomination of Senator Ademola Adeleke as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the September 2018 Governorship election in Osun State.

    Two Chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wahab Raheem and Adam Habeeb, had in 2018 barely few days to the governorship election in Osun State had dragged Adeleke to court, accusing him of not possessing the requisite educational qualification (secondary school certificate) to contest for the office of governor.

    They prayed the court for an order to disqualify Adeleke from participating in the Sept 22 governorship election in the state on the grounds that he does not possess the requisite educational qualification.

    Delivering judgment in the suit, Justice Justice Oathman Musa annulled Adeleke’s nomination on the grounds that Adeleke offended section 177 of the 1999 constitution as amended. The section stipulated that candidates for the position of governor must be educated up to secondary school level.

    Justice Musa said while the court’s findings showed that Adeleke entered secondary school in 1976, there was no record to show that he actually graduated as his name was no longer seen in the school’s register from 1980.

    He further stated that the result Adeleke attached to his form CF001 which he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was fake, as it was found to be different from the one presented to the court by the principal of Ede Muslim High School, Ede, Osun State.

    Meanwhile, Adeleke’s lawyer Nathaniel Oke SAN has faulted the judgment of Justice Musa on the grounds that the judge erred in law by going out of the way to source for evidence to arrive at his “unjust conclusion”.

    He submitted that the court erred particularly when it ignored WAEC evidence that Adeleke was educated up to Secondary School level as required by law.

    While he disclosed that they will immediately commence filing of their appeal against the Judgment, the senior lawyer expressed confidence that the judgment cannot stand at Appeal Court.

    Thisday recalled that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) during the court’s proceedings confirmed that Adeleke sat for the May/June examination of the council in 1981.

    The council in an affidavit deposed to by one Osindeinde Adewunmi and filed at the registry of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court confirmed that Adeleke sat for the Senior Secondary School exams in May/ June 1981.

    The confirmation was contained in a four paragraph affidavit filed in compliance with the order of Justice Oathman Musa requesting the examination body to confirm whether the governorship candidate sat for the 1981 exams.

    Justice Musa, had in a ruling delivered on September 11 directed that WAEC should depose an affidavit, to either deny or confirm that Adeleke sat for the Exams the Council conducted at Ede Muslim High School in Ede, Osun State, in 1981.

    It equally said the examination body should file the ledger containing results of Ademola and his mates with whom he sat for the examinations, as well the verifying affidavit, within five days of being served with the enrolled order dated September 11.

    WAEC however in the sworn affidavit confirmed that, Adeleke with center number 19645 and candidate number 149 indeed sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in May/June 1981 conducted by the council at Ede Muslim School situate at P.O. Box 6 Yidi Road, Ede, State of Osun.

    Accompanying the affidavit was a ledger containing the result of all candidates (001-221) who sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in the said school.

    The certified true copy of the ledger which is marked as exhibit WA1, however showed that Senator Adeleke, sat for only English Language in the examination.

    In arguing their case the plaintiffs, through their counsel, Bankole Akomolafe, on Sept 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 at then.

    They further alleged that the NECO examination he claimed to have sat for could not be genuine because National Examination Council (NECO) had not been established at the time Adeleke claimed to have sat for the examination.

  • Certificate saga: Court voids participation of PDP candidate, Adeleke in Osun governorship poll

    Certificate saga: Court voids participation of PDP candidate, Adeleke in Osun governorship poll

    A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Bwari, Abuja yesterday voided the participation of Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last governorship election in Osun State.

    Justice Othman Musa, in a judgment, annulled Adeleke’s nomination as candidate of the PDP on the grounds that he offended Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    The section states that candidates for governor must be educated up to secondary school level.

    Justice Musa said while the court’s findings showed that Adeleke entered secondary school in 1976, there was no record showing that he (Adeleke) actually graduated.

    The judge said Adeleke’s name was no longer seen in the school’s register from 1980.

    Justice Musa noted that the result Adeleke attached to the Form CF001, which he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was fake, as it was found to be different from the one presented to the court by the principal of Ede Muslim High School, Ede, Osun State.

    The judgment was on a suit filed by Wahab Adekunle Raheem and Adam Omosalewa Habeeb.

    The plaintiffs had accused Adeleke of not possessing the requisite educational qualification (secondary school certificate) to contest for the office of governor.

    They contented, among others, that Adeleke’s claim that he sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in May/June 1981 could not be true because Secondary School Certificate Examination had not been introduced then.

    The plaintiffs argued that what was in existence then was the West African School Certificate Examination.

    They urged the court to, among others, disqualify Adeleke from participating in the governorship election on the grounds that he did not possess the required educational qualification.

    At the preliminary stages in the case, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), in response to a September 11, 2018, ex-parte order by the court, provided evidence that Adeleke sat for its May/June 1981 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.

    In its affidavit sworn to by Henry Sunday Adewunmi Osindeinde, a Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department, WAEC, said Adeleke sat for the May/June 1981 examination at Ede Muslim High School, Yidi Road, Ede, with Centre Number 19645 and Candidate Number 149.

    WAEC attached a copy of the results of all 122 candidates who sat for the May/June 1981 in Ede Muslim High School.

    In the attached results, Adeleke is listed as number 149. He sat for only English Language in which he scored F9.

    He was said not to have sat for Literature in English, Islamic Knowledge, Geography, Economics, Mathematics and Biology.

    Osindeinde said in the affidavit: “By virtue of my position as Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department, I have read the enrolled order of this court (specifically orders iv, v and vi) dated 11th September, 2018 directing and compelling the WAEC to depose to an affidavit confirming or denying the said orders contained in the said enrolled order and referred to in this paragraph and I wish to state as follows:

    “The said candidate named in this suit known as Adeleke Ademola, with Centre Number 19645 and Candidate Number 149, indeed sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in May/June 1981 conducted by the council at Ede Muslim High School situate at P. O. Box 6 Yidi Road, Ede, State of Osun.

    “The copy of the result listing referred to by the court order as the ledger containing the results of all the candidates (001 – 221) who sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in the said school is hereby certified, attached and marked: Exhibit WA1.”

    The plaintiff’s lawyer, Bankole Akomolafe hailed the court’s decision. Adeleke’s counsel Nathaniel Oke (SAN) faulted the judgement. He said the judge erred in law by going out of his way to source for evidence to arrive at his “unjust conclusion”.

    The lawyer said the court was wrong when it ignored WAEC’s evidence that Adeleke was educated up to secondary school as required by law.

    Oke said his client was qualified for the election and met the constitutional requirement, having been educated to secondary school level.

    He said a High Court in Osun State had, in an earlier judgment, confirmed that Adeleke was qualified, having attended a secondary school.

    Oke said he drew the court’s attention to the fact that the case was statute barred in view of the fourth alteration to the Constitution, because as a pre-election matter it was filed outside the stipulated 14 days, but “the judge said my argument was an attempt to arrest his judgment”. “He went ahead to read the judgment.

    He went on: “They said he (Adeleke) did not attend secondary school. They (the plaintiffs) were the one who asked that officials of WAEC be subpoenaed to produce his result. And officials of WAEC tendered his result in court.

    What else do they want to prove that he was educated to secondary school level as required by the Constitution?”

    The lawyer said the issue had been settled by an earlier judgment of a High Court of Osun State, which held that Adeleke was qualified to stand election, having been educated up to secondary school level.

    “We have asked the judge to make the certified true copy of the judgment available to us on time, because we are appealing the judgment,” Oke said.

     

  • Alleged Exam Malpractice: Prosecution absence stalls trial of PDP gov candidate, Adeleke

    Alleged Exam Malpractice: Prosecution absence stalls trial of PDP gov candidate, Adeleke

    The case of alleged examination malpractice and certificate forgery filed against a senator, Ademola Adeleke, was on Tuesday stalled due to the absence of the prosecution.

    Adeleke is a senator and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Osun State governorship election of last year.

    The Federal High Court Abuja presided over by Inyang Ekwo had at the previous date of hearing adjourned to April 2, 3 and 4 to enable the prosecution file additional evidence.

    Ekwo fixed the date after the prosecution counsel, Simon Lough, called two witnesses, Buhari Moshood and Salamatu Fumilayo.

    Lough prayed the court for leave to file additional evidence.

    The application was not opposed by the defence.

    Following that, Ekwo adjourned the matter until April 2, 3 and 4 for accelerated hearing of the matter.

    During the court session on Tuesday, Adeleke’s counsel, Alex Izinyon, told the court that the prosecution called and informed him that he would be in court by 10 a.m.

    But as at 10: 30 a.m, he was still absent.

    The judge then adjourned till Wednesday, April 3.

    Adeleke was arraigned in 2018 on allegations of examination malpractice and certificate forgery.

    He was arraigned alongside the principal of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Aregbesola Muftau; the registrar of the school, Gbadamosi Ojo; and a teacher in the school, Dare Samuel Olutope, as well as Sikiru Adeleke.

    The police accused them of fraudulently registering Adeleke and another Sikiru Adeleke as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School in Ojo-Aro, Osun State, for the National Examination Council’s June/July 2017 Senior School Certificate Examination in February 2017.

  • JUST IN: Obasanjo reacts to Adeleke’s win; blasts those ‘begging’ Atiku to concede defeat to Buhari

    JUST IN: Obasanjo reacts to Adeleke’s win; blasts those ‘begging’ Atiku to concede defeat to Buhari

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday reacted to the victory of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Osun State governorship election, Ademola Adeleke at the state election tribunal in Abuja on Friday

    The former Nigerian leader in a statement he personally signed on Saturday said the declaration of Ademola Adeleke as the governor-elect of Osun State was commendable, saying the earlier declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as governor was a “desperate attempt to change the will of the Osun people”.

    Obasanjo also condemned those urging his former vice and presidential candidate of the PDP Atiku Abubakar, in last month’s presidential election, not to go to court. He said such calls were coming from the “enemies of Nigeria” and those seeking to intimidate Nigerians by threatening violence.

    Recall that PDP’s candidate has rejected the outcome of the February 23 polls, alleging fraud and rigging in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari. He has asked the court to overturn the result and declare him president-elect, defying calls to concede defeat.

    In what appears to be his first public comments on the election, Obasanjo, who backed Atiku for the top job, said those appealing to the PDP presidential candidate not to contest the results of the presidential poll mean no good for Nigeria’s democracy.

    “Those who have conceived and are promoting the narrative that if Atiku Abubakar continues to seek legal redress there will be violence, are evil minds looking for excuse to unleash violence on Nigerians,” he said.

    “At no time in history has sustainable peace been built on theft, injustice, corruption and inequity. These merchants of chaos and violence should have no place in any decent society. And they must know that no intimidation or prophesy of violence and doomsday will cow anybody.”

    He also threw jabs at President Muhammadu Buhari who thrice challenged the results of elections he contested in the past.

    Read the full statement:

    STATEMENT BY H.E OLUSEGUN OBASANJO ON THE JUDGEMENT OF THE OSUN GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION PETITION TRIBUNAL

    DUBAI – 23 March 2019

    While I was in Dubai to attend the Global Education and Skills Forum meeting, I received the news of the judgment of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal declaring Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the winner of the 2018 Governorship election in the state.

    Let me take this opportunity to commend the tribunal for its courage in nullifying what was clearly an illegality. This action by the judicial officers, albeit a first step in the legal process, gives renewed confidence in the judiciary at a time when there are coordinated efforts by some political leaders to undermine, if not destroy, it.

    As I have repeatedly said, the world is watching events in Nigeria with keen interest. What we do or do not do right in our electoral process will have implications not just for Nigeria but for Africa and indeed the world. By correcting what was clearly a desperate attempt to change the will of the Osun people, the tribunal has saved Nigeria from great embarrassment and started the process of saving and strengthening our democracy.

    Let me also commend Sen. Adeleke for his statesmanship in going to court to seek justice. This is the right and proper thing to do in any decent society. Going to court must be encouraged and not discouraged as some people are now attempting to do.

    While I have refrained from commenting on the 2019 elections because one of the parties has gone to court, may I point out that those who call themselves our development partners and friends and preach sacrificing justice on the altar of so-called stability are enemies of justice, democracy and Nigeria. We will continue to sustain Nigeria in stability and unity on the altar of justice, equity, fairness, freedom, human rights and democracy. Stability cannot be successfully built on injustice, corruption, inequity, and divided nation, and incompetence, nepotism and one-sidedness.

    Nigeria will march forward with or without those who will want to feed us with diet of values and actions that are not acceptable in their own countries. Nigeria is of age. And if Buhari could go to court three times to seek justice, even without reasonable cause, any Nigerian who feels denied of justice must feel free to go to court.

    Those who have conceived and are promoting the narrative that if Atiku Abubakar continues to seek legal redress there will be violence, are evil minds looking for excuse to unleash violence on Nigerians. At no time in history has sustainable peace been built on theft, injustice, corruption and inequity. These merchants of chaos and violence should have no place in any decent society. And they must know that no intimidation or prophesy of violence and doomsday will cow anybody. Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians. We will respect as friends those who believe that what is good for their country should be good for Nigeria. Yes, we are Africans but we have values that are consistent with international standards. Court is part of our democratic process and it must be used when necessary if only to achieve justice, stability, unity and progress for our country.

    OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

  • Osun Govt files appeal against tribunal’s verdict declaring Adeleke as governor

    The Osun State Government on Thursday filed an appeal against the judgement of the state Election Petition Tribunal on the 2018 state governorship poll declaring the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate, Ademola Adeleke, the winner of the election.

    The state government charged the residents of the state to remain calm and go about their lawful activities following the tribunal judgment in the governorship election petition.

    It reassured the people of their safety and security of properties because “the Government of the State is still the only legitimate Government having the authority to govern the State.”

    A statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Mr. Wole Oyebamiji, said: “The Government of the State of Osun wishes to appreciate the teeming support of the majority of the people in all things essential for mutual progress.

    “As it is, the administration of His Excellency, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, Governor, State of Osun, wishes to assure the people that the judgment of the Election Tribunal has been put on appeal.

    “This is to further assure all the residents of the State of adequate security of lives and properties, as the Government of the State is still the only legitimate Government having the authority to govern the State.

    “We assure all our people that justice will prevail at last, and the law enforcement agencies have been instructed to maintain law and order across the State. We therefore urge all the residents of the State to go about their lawful duties without any hindrance.”

  • JUST IN: Tribunal orders INEC to issue PDP’s Adeleke Certificate of Return as duly elected Osun gov

    JUST IN: Tribunal orders INEC to issue PDP’s Adeleke Certificate of Return as duly elected Osun gov

    The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue Certificate of Return as duly elected governor to Senator Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2018 election.

    The three-man tribunal upheld the petitions filed by Adeleke and the PDP, challenging the victory of the All Progressives Congress and Gboyega Oyetola at the September 2018 governorship election.

    The tribunal had earlier dismissed the objections of the APC and Oyetola, insisting that Adeleke’s petition had merit.

    The tribunal also declared the rerun election as illegal.

    TNG reports that the PDP and Adeleke had filed a petition asking the tribunal to declare that Adeleke polled the highest lawful votes and should be declared the winner.

    But Oyetola, APC and INEC had filed their notices of preliminary objection, contending, among others, that the petition was incompetent and that the court lacked jurisdiction.

    The tribunal also held that the supplementary election held by INEC in seven cancelled units on September 22, 2018, was null and void.

    The tribunal ruled that the Returning Officer who cancelled the results had no power to do so.

  • Osun guber: PDP hails verdict, says Atiku next to reclaim ‘stolen mandate’

    Osun guber: PDP hails verdict, says Atiku next to reclaim ‘stolen mandate’

    The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) has hailed the verdict of the Osun State Governorship election tribunal, which upheld the victory of its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, describing the judgement as a victory for democracy and triumph of the will of the people.

    The main opposition party said the judgment was a clear indicator that those who set out to destroy the nation’s democracy can never triumph and that no matter how evil and injustice appear to thrive; the truth must always prevail at the end of the day.

    In a statement Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said Nigerians have accepted democracy as a way of life and a form of government that suits the multi-plurality of the nation.

    The statement said, “The spontaneous jubilation that greeted this judgment is therefore a direct indication that it is in consonant with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians across the board.

    “For those who have been desperate to destroy our democracy, this judgment has proven to them that their shenanigans will always come to no avail.

    “The PDP commends the judiciary for standing upright in the defence of democracy and for ensuring that those involved in the rapacious desecration of our democratic norms will never succeed.

    “This verdict, which reverberates across our nation, points to the fact that the truth will always prevail and that our party, the PDP, will recover all our stolen mandates in the 2019 general elections, particularly, the Presidential mandate, which Nigerians freely gave to our candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

    “Furthermore, all our candidates who have already won their elections, but whose victories are being manipulated by anti-democratic forces, must take solace in the words of the Osun election petition panel, that once valid votes have been declared and a winner emerges by majority of votes, a rerun is illegal

    “The PDP congratulates Senator Adeleke, the good people of Osun state as well as all lovers of democracy across our country for the triumph of justice over impunity, abuse of electoral processes and unfettered political rascality”.

  • Osun guber: APC speaks on next move after Tribunal sacked Oyetola, declared Adeleke winner

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun says it will appeal the tribunal judgment that declared Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the September 2018 re-run governorship election in Osun.

    Mr Kunle Oyatomi, the APC Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, said in a statement on Friday in Osogbo that the verdict would not stand superior legal scrutiny.

    ” We are going to appeal the judgment.

    “The verdict cannot stand superior legal scrutiny. Therefore we will appeal against it,’’ Oyatomi said.

    The PDP in the state, however, commended the judiciary on what it called a landmark judgment.

    Mr Soji Adagunodo, the Osun PDP Chairman, in his reaction, said the victory was for the people of the state.

    Adagunodo said the judgment shows that “ we still have men of impeccable character in the judiciary.’’

    ” Kudos to the Nigerian judiciary and this shows that we still have men of impeccable character in the judiciary.

    “Truly, the judiciary is the last hope of common man,’’ Adagunodo said.

    Adagunodo said since the APC had decided to appeal the judgment, PDP would await the outcome at the appellate court.

  • Osun guber: Atiku reacts as Tribunal sacks APC’s Oyetola, declares PDP’s Adeleke as governor

    Osun guber: Atiku reacts as Tribunal sacks APC’s Oyetola, declares PDP’s Adeleke as governor

    The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has reacted the ruling of the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal, declaring Ademola Adeleke of the PDP, as the winner of the controversial state election.

    The tribunal also declared the September 27 rerun election in the state illegal.

    The three-man panel of the Tribunal gave the judgement on Friday following the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ademola Adeleka against the All Progressives Congress, APC and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola.

    The Tribunal also ruled that PDP and Adeleke proved that it was the state Returning Officer who cancelled the results in 7 Polling Units, adding that the petitioners also proved that the Returning Officer has no power to cancel election results of a polling unit.

    The Tribunal deducted 2,029 votes from APC scores and 1,246 votes from PDP votes in 17 polling units where there was non compliance.

    Atiku tweeted: “Truly, the judiciary is the last hope of the common man and the defender of our democracy. Congratulations Sen. Ademola Adeleke, @IsiakaAdeleke1”.