The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has said the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has failed to provide his original certificate to enable it to verify its genuineness or otherwise.
The analysis body said this during its appearance at Ogun election Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta presided over by Honorable Justice Hamidu Kunaza.
WAEC testfied through one of its officials who was not made to swear an oath, nor entered into the witness box, Mr Olufemi Olaleye.
Olaleye told the tribunal that he was not in court with the requested certificate because Governor Abiodun has ignored all efforts to provide his original certificate for verification by WAEC.
However, 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.
When he was contacted outside the court room to give further explanations on why WAEC did not produce the requested certificate, Olaleye tersely replied: “My lips are sealed.”
The examination council had earlier been subpoenaed by the tribunal to produce a copy of Dapo Abiodun’s 1978 WAEC certificate as attached to the form he filled with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Oladipupo Adebutu, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election, had alleged that Abiodun forged his WAEC certificate.
In his petition, Adebutu stated that Abiodun “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 INEC.
“Surprisingly, up till date, the West African Examinations Council has failed and/or neglected to respond to the said Petitioners’ letter.
“The petitioners shall at the trial subpoena officials of the said West African Examinations Council to testify on the falsity of the said certificate,” the petition read partly.