A Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja has summoned Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate for the 2024 Edo State elections to respond to charges of forgery and perjury.
The suit, filed by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Honesty Aginbatse, has to do with the age of Okpebholo.
There are said to be discrepancies in the date of birth provided in the nomination forms he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Senator Okpebholo is to appear before the judge on September 20, 2024, barely 24 hours before the Edo State governorship election.
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His 2023 Senate nomination form listed his date of birth as March 29, 1970.
However, his 2024 governorship nomination forms contain conflicting birth dates: August 29, 1970 on an age declaration, August 29, 1972 on his West African Examination Council certificate, and August 1, 1977 on his INEC voter’s card.
The allegations, first raised by the PDP, have prompted a call for criminal investigations into possible forgery in Okpebholo’s documents.
Under Section 182.1 (d) of the Nigerian Constitution, a conviction for offences involving dishonesty or fraud disqualifies a person from running for governor, raising questions about Okpebholo’s eligibility if convicted.
Chief Aginbatse, in responding to enquiries by the media, stated that no one is above the law.
He said: “Edo State cannot have characters of questionable character in public office.
“Senator Okpebholo must come to tell the judge why he filed four different dates of birth under oath.
“The APC too owes Edo citizens a public apology for fielding such a candidate.”
