An official of the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Olufemi Olaleye, on Thursday, appeared before the Ogun State election petition tribunal without tendering a copy of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s certificate.
Abiodun was the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Ogun State during the March 18 polls.
The tribunal had previously ordered the examination council to disclose a copy of Dapo Abiodun’s 1978 WAEC certificate, which was linked to the form he filled out with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This followed an allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ladi Adebutu, that Abiodun forged his WAEC certificate.
In his petition, Adebutu stated that Abiodun allegedly presented a forged West African Examinations Council School Certificate of June 1978 to the 1st Respondent (INEC) on July 25, 2022.
The petitioner further stated that he had written a letter to WAEC, to verify the authenticity of the said examination certificate presented by Abiodun to the electoral umpire.
The WAEC official was not placed on oath, nor was he allowed to enter the witness box as he said “the requested certificate is not here with me”.
However, Olufemi Olaleye was allowed to tender in evidence, a copy of the subpoena issued to the examination body, upon which he was at the tribunal.
He told the tribunal he did not bring the requested certificate “because WAEC does not keep duplicates of collected WAEC certificates”.
He stated that to confirm whether or not somebody partakes in the council’s examination, “the original certificate given to the candidate will be forwarded to WAEC” for verification.
Olaleye was discharged immediately he was recorded as having testified before the tribunal as PW73.