Barely 72 hours that Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) protested against Dapo Abiodun, governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun state over alleged perjury as regards his academic qualifications, another legal case has been filed before Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta, seeking the disqualification of Abiodun on ground of false declaration on oath under section 182, sub section (1) (J) of Constitution of the Federal Republic 1999.
Recall that the Ogun state chapter of an advisory council of political parties, Inter- Party Advisory Council (IPAC) was on Monday gave Dapo Abiodun 48 hours to explain an alleged perjury and forgery as regards his educational qualifications, saying failure to give satisfactory explanation would force the council to file legal suit for his disqualification as governorship candidate of APC.
IPAC through its Chairman Abayomi Arabambi, alleged that Abiodun claimed to have graduated from both University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and Kennesaw State University, Atlanta Georgia, United State of America in 1986 and 1998 respectively and filled in that when he was contesting for Ogun East Senatorial seat in 2015.
Abayomi added that Abiodun submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), a certificate of West African School Examinations in his form Cf 001 for governorship election in 2019 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as against two degrees he submitted in 2015 when he stood for election in Ogun East Senatorial District, saying Abiodun is not qualified to be fielded as APC governorship candidate based on false declaration on oath.
In a legal suit filed before Federal High Court sitting in Abeokuta on Thursday by some APC members in Ogun state, including Bolanle Adisa Adeyemi, Jide Salau and Taiwo Jimoh, first, second and third plaintiffs against INEC, APC and Dapo Abiodun as first, second and third defendants, the trio of Adeyemi, Salau and Jimoh sought disqualification of Dapo Abiodun, Ogun APC governorship candidate on ground of false declaration on oath contrary to Section 182, Sub section (1)(J) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
In the Suit No. FHC/CS/151/2018 seeking an order disqualifying Dapo Abiodun on ground of having made false declarations on oath contrary to section 182(1)(J) of 1999 Constitution, Section 31(2), (5), and (6) of the Electoral Act and Section13 of the NYSC Act in which Dapo Abiodun claimed to have had two degrees in 2015 for Senatorial election and West African School Certificate for 2019 governorship election.
In the suit filed on behalf of the Plaintiffs by Yemi Oke of MJS Partners, the Plaintiffs sought five other reliefs including an order nullifying the nomination and/or eventual election (and any Certificate of Return issued in favour) of Dapo Abiodun, in case he wins the Governorship election scheduled for March 2, 2019 and issuing fresh Certificate of Return in favour of Adekunle Akinlade, being the authentic candidate of the APC (2nd Defendant in the suit).
The Plaintiffs also filed along with the suit a Motion on Notice for Orders of Interlocutory Injunction restraining INEC (1st Respondent) from recognising Dapo Abiodun as candidate of the APC for the mar 2 209/29 Governorship election in Ogun State as well as retraining 3rd Respondent ( Dapo Abiodun) from participating in the said election, pending the hearing and determination of the suit
Also on Thursday, a group of politicians numbering about 200 went to the INEC Headquarters in Abuja as well as All Progressives Congress Secretariat in Abuja to protest against Dapo Abiodun’s governorship candidacy in Ogun state, asking Mahmood Yakub, INEC National Chairman to disqualify Dapo Abiodun on ground of illegalities that produced him as governorship candidate of APC in Ogun state.
The protesters, who are mainly people of Ogun West Senatorial District under the auspices of the Yewa Collective Action Movement, protested in Abuja, carrying different placards with inscriptions such as “INEC Must Disqualify Dapo Abiodun”, “Security Agencies Should Investigate Dapo Abiodun”, among others, asking INEC to act fast before the March 2nd, 2019 governorship election.
Ishola Adesina, a Yewa/Awori man from Ogun West Senatorial District and APC Chieftain in Ogun state, who lamented imbalance that has impeded having governor from the district, noted that emergence of Dapo Abiodun as APC governorship candidate ” is a fraud” as there was no primaries conducted for Dapo Abiodun rather a duly conducted APC primaries were held in the state where Abiodun Akinlade was declared winner and therefore, should be restored as authentic governorship candidate of APC in the state.
RAZAQ AYINLA
