A Federal High Court in Abuja will begin hearing a suit by the All Progressives Congress (APC), and one other, accusing Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki of lying about his academic credentials on November 16.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed picked the date yesterday following an application by the plaintiff’s lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN).
Justice Mohammed reminded parties that the suit was filed on July 14 and being a pre-election case, has a life span of 180 days, which will end in January 2021.
He urged lawyers to cooperate with the court so the case can be determined before the expiry date.
The plaintiffs claimed, in their writ of summons, that Obaseki forged his university certificate which he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to aid his qualification for the governorship election.
They also claimed there were discrepancies in the subject Obaseki claimed he passed in his West African Examination Council (WAEC) exam and in his testimonial.
The plaintiffs want the court to declare that Obaseki’s claim in his INEC form EC9 at column C, sworn to on June 29, 2020, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court Registry, to the effect that he obtained from the University of Ibadan in 1979, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Classical Studies, is false and contrary to Section 31 (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010.
They also want the court to declare that Obaseki lied on oath when he swore to an affidavit on June 29, that he worked in Afrinvest Limited from 1994 to 2014 when he retired.
The plaintiffs also want a declaration that Obaseki ‘is disqualified from contesting election to the office of Edo State Governor for non-fulfilment of the constitutional requirement of Section 182(1)(j) of the Constitution of Nigeria and upon presenting false/forged certificate to INEC contrary to Section 31 (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010’.