The West African Examination Council (WAEC) , has confirmed the authenticity of certificate presented by the candidate of the Peoples Demo...
The West African Examination Council (WAEC), has confirmed the authenticity of certificate presented by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the Osun September 22 governorship election, Ademola Adeleke.
The examination body confirmed this in an affidavit before an FCT High Court, Wednesday.
The examination body said that Adeleke indeed 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’s result for the Secondary School examination in May/ June 1981 was not in doubt.
The confirmation was contained in a four-paragraph affidavit filed on Wednesday in compliance with the order of Justice Oathman Musa requesting the examination body to confirm whether the governorship candidate sat for the 1981 examination or not.
The affidavit deposed to by Osindeinde, Deputy Registrar/Head of School Examination Department accompanied with the ledger containing the names and results of all the candidates from number 001 to 221 who sat for the secondary school certificate examination in the said school.
The certified true copy of the ledger, however, indicated that Senator Adeleke, who is currently representing Osun West senatorial district in the Senate, sat for only English Language in the examination.
Justice Musa, had in a ruling on September 11 directed that WAEC should depose an affidavit to either deny or confirm that Adeleke sat for the examination 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 centre number 19645 and candidate number 149 indeed sat for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination conducted by the council at Ede Muslim School situate at P.O. Box 6 Yidi Road, Ede, State of Osun.
Two APC chieftains, Wahab Adekunle Raheem and Adam Omosalewa Habeeb, had dragged the PDP candidate before an Abuja High Court praying the court for an order to disqualify him from participating in the September 22 governorship election in Osun State on the ground that Adeleke does not have requisite education qualification.
The plaintiffs in an ex-parte application argued by their counsel, Bankole Joel Akomolafe, on September 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.
But delivering ruling on the exparte application, the judge ordered Adeleke to appear before the court on September 19, to show cause why he should not be disqualified from participating in Saturday’s gubernatorial election.
However, hearing of the suit yesterday, could not go on as the presiding judge, Justice Musa was said to have gone on an official assignment.
The matter was therefore adjourned till next week Tuesday for the continuation of hearing.
However, counsel to Adeleke, Nathaniel Oke (SAN), while reacting to the findings of WAEC at the court premises told newsmen that the case of the plaintiffs had died.
He further expressed happiness with the finding, adding that it will enable his client to comfortably participate in Saturday’s election in Osun State.
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