Kwara Tribunal Okays Election of Gov Abdulrazaq, Dismisses Certificate Forgery Case
The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Kwara State, on Friday, dismissed the Peoples Democratic Party petition seeking the nullification of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s election.
The chairman of the tribunal sitting in Ilorin, Justice Bassey Effiong, said the petitioners were alleging directly that the second respondent, Abdulrazaq presented a fake WAEC certificate to Independent National Electoral Commission before the March 9 governorship election.
Effiong said the PDP candidate, Mr Razak Atunwa, failed to prove the allegations.
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“All evidences before us show that Abdulrazaq sat for the examination and was, therefore, qualified to run for the office of the governor.
“From all the evidences before us, we hold that the petition lacks merit and is hereby dismissed,” the chairman of the three-man panel, announced in a unanimous judgment.
Effiong said the law stated that where a petitioner made the commission of a crime the kernel of his petition, then he must prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.
“Has the petitioners discharged the burden of proof expected of them, and from the evidence in this case, the answer is a resounding ‘No’.
“We hold that all the evidences presented by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) which the petitioners had relied upon and the subpoena, were at variance with the pleadings of the petitioners,” he said.
Effiong said WAEC, which is the only statutory body to issue such documents had made it clear that Abdulrazaq’s credential had emanated from it.
By PRNigeria
