July 20, (THEWILL) – The West African Examination Council (WAEC), on Thursday, appeared before the Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The examination Council had earlier been subpoenaed by the tribunal to produce a copy of Dapo Abiodun’s 1978 WAEC certificate as attached to the form he filled with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Ladi Adebutu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election, had alleged that Abiodun forged his WAEC certificate.
In his petition, Adebutu alleged that Abiodun “presented a forged West African Examinations Council School Certificate of June 1978 to the 1st Respondent (INEC)” on July 25, 2022.
Adebutu said he had written a letter to WAEC to verify the authenticity of the said examination certificate presented by Abiodun to INEC.
“Surprisingly, up till date, the West African Examinations Council has failed and/or neglected to respond to the said Petitioners’ letter. The petitioners shall, at the trial, subpoena officials of the said West African Examinations Council to testify on the falsity of the said certificate,” he said in his petition.
An official of the examination body, Olufemi Olaleye, who appeared before the tribunal on Thursday, said he was not with the disputed certificate.
Olaleye told the tribunal he did not bring the requested certificate “because the Council does not keep duplicates of collected WAEC certificates.”
He stated that to confirm whether or not somebody partook in the Council’s examination, “the original certificate given to the candidate will be forwarded to WAEC” for verification.
Olaleye was discharged immediately he was recorded as having testified before the tribunal as PW73.
When he was contacted outside the courtroom to give further explanations on why WAEC did not produce the requested certificate, Olaleye tersely replied: “My lips are sealed.”
