Tribunal Orders INEC Chairman to Produce Adeleke’s Academic Certificates
The Osun Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Osogbo, on Friday, ordered the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, to produce the academic certificates and other documents of the state’s Governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke.
The Tribunal Chairman, Justice Tertsea Kume, gave the order following the arguments by the counsel to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Akin Olujimi, counsel to INEC, Prof Paul Ananaba, Adeleke and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), after the commission failed to present Adeleke’s certificates.
The Tribunal on November 16, granted a subpoena by the Petitioner, compelling the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state to produce the nomination form and academic certificates used by Ademola Adeleke, in the 2018 governorship election.
The document tagged: “INEC Form CF001” is being demanded by Counsel for the All Progressive Congress (APC), the Petitioners.
However, at the resumed hearing of the election petition by the APC on Friday, the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke, represented by one Shehu Muhammed, failed to produce the Form CF001 on the excuse that they do not have the document in their custody in the state.
The tribunal chairman, who noted that the petitioners had shown enough grounds with regard to their application/subpoena request, said it would amount to denying them their right to a fair hearing if INEC failed to comply with the subpoena order.
He ordered INEC Chairman to produce the document on the next date of adjournment.
Kume, therefore, adjourned the case until Dec.1, for further hearing.
