Court dismisses certificate forgery suit against gov Abdulrazaq

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday dismissed a suit seeking the disqualification of the Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, from the 2023 election over alleged certificate forgery.

The judge gave the verdict while ruling on an application filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The party had in the application filed by its counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), alleged that the governor forged the West African Secondary School Certificate (WASCE) he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of the requirements for the election.

The PDP, therefore, urged the court to invoke sections 171 and 285 of the 1999 Constitution as well as section 29 of the Electoral Act and stop the governor from taking part in the March 11 election.

Abdulrazaq, All Progressives Congress (APC), and INEC were listed as respondents in the case.

READ ALSO: 2023: PDP demands Gov Abdulrazaq’s disqualification over alleged certificate forgery

In his ruling, the judge dismissed the suit for lack of merit.

He described the suit as a baseless, unwarranted, and gross abuse of the court process.

Justice Ekwo also berated the PDP for challenging the outcome of the primary election that produced Abdulrazaq as the APC governorship candidate in the state.

He declared that the PDP lacked the locus standi to challenge the outcome of the election because it was not a party in the exercise.

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