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FACT CHECK: Has the Nigerian Police filed criminal charges against Gov Adeleke?

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CLAIM: A video is circulating on social media, in which a senior ranking Police Officer identified as Jimoh Moshood reads criminal charges against Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

VERDICT: False

FULL TEXT

Governor Adeleke’s election victory is being challenged at the Court of Appeal by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressive Congress. They had secured a victory at the Osun Election Tribunal but the matter proceeded to the Court of Appeal.

The Tribunal had declared Oyetola winner of the July 16, 2022 governorship election, sacking Adeleke.

The tribunal found over voting in places won by Adeleke and after deducting the excess votes declared Oyetola winner. Justice Tetsea Kume, while reading the majority decision, also noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission did not comply substantially with provisions of the constitution and the Electoral Act.

Meanwhile, the Appeal Court is yet to deliver a judgment on the matter, even after hearing on March 13, 2023. Although, it acknowledged that the election was characterised by over voting.

READ ALSO:FACT CHECK: Are these APC thugs arrested in Lagos as claimed by Dino Melaye

THE VIRAL VIDEO

Some social media users have been posting the video in which the Police Spokesperson read criminal charges against Adeleke. The charges border on certificate forgery, impersonation, and criminal conspiracy.

He said, “Senator Ademola Adeleke made cautionary statement and admitted that he registered for the 2017 NECO examinations as an internal student in the said school and did not sit for the examination but have a result from NECO with Seven (7) Credit and One (1) Pass, a copy of which was obtained from NECO by the Police.

“The Ojo/Aro 2017 NECO, SSCE school photo album (School’s copy), with Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke Photographs in school uniform in the said album. Senator Ademola Adeleke in the NECO 2017 Result obtained by the claimed that he was born on 12th June 1997 but in his statement to the Police, senator Ademola Adeleke wrote 13th May 1960 as his date of birth.

“The photographs of both Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke appearing side by side in the photo album have no NECO stamps on them.”

Those circulating the video are making allusions to the case currently in the Court of Appeal, with comments like “Adeleke is gone”.

VERIFICATION

While the video is real and not doctored, Ripples Nigeria found that it is an old video. The video was made in 2018, some days before the 2018 governorship election in Osun in which Adeleke first attempted to be governor. He came second and also faced charges on certificate forgery and criminal conspiracy.

The officer reading the charges in the video is Jimoh Moshood who was the Spokesperson of the Nigerian Police Force between 2017 and 2018. There have been two spokespersons after he was dropped – Frank Mba and currently Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

CONCLUSION

Ripples Nigeria found that the video is old and has nothing to do with the current legal dispute around his election victory.

By: Oluwatobi Odeyinka

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