Senator Ademola Adeleke, the governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party in Osun for September 22 election, said the Wednesday State High Court judgment had vindicated him.
Adeleke, while reacting to the court judgment at a news conference on Thursday in Ede, said that the court’s verdict affirmed that the case of certificate forgery could not be established against him.
According to him, those questioning the authenticity of my certificate were being mischievous and deceptive.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that two members of PDP in the state, Rasheed Olabayo and Oluwaseun Idowu, had challenged the outcome of the party primary election won by Adeleke.
They contended that Adeleke did not satisfy the constitutional requirements to contest the governorship election.
The plaintiffs, among others, urged the court to set aside the outcome of the primary election, alleging that Adeleke did not submit his secondary school certificate.
However, Justice David Oladimeji had cleared Adeleke to contest the governorship election, saying that the plaintiff’s Counsel, Olufemi Ayandokun, failed to address the issue of forgery in the originating summons.
Adeleke, briefing newsmen along with his old school mates, said that he attended Ede Muslim High School in Osun between 1976 and 1981.
He said: “I express my gratitude to the judiciary for upholding the truth despite the pressure.
“It is now clear and proven that I did not forge any certificate or testimonial.’’
Adeleke, representing Osun West at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, urged all the party members to support him in winning the governorship election.
He said: “Now that legal pronouncement has been made, internal mechanism has been exhausted; it is time for all PDP members and leaders to unite and work for the party’s victory.”
NAN also reports that Adeleke was declared the winner of the PDP primary election held on July 21.
He polled 1,569 votes to beat his closest rival, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, who polled 1,562.
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