Politics

Gov Ayade in trouble, as his party PDP asks S’Court to sack him

Published

8 years ago

September 28, 2016

Cross River to get defence, foreign affairs commissioners

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wants the Supreme Court to remove Cross River State Governor Benedict Ayade from office over alleged falsification of age.

PDP had through its lawyer, Mr. N. Ibegbulam, on Tuesday denounced the governor and told the apex court presided over by Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour that it was in support of the prayer of Mr Joe Agi, SAN, before the court asking that Ayade be sacked over age falsification.

Agi, who came second in the Cross River State PDP governorship primary election that saw Ayade emerge winner and subsequently governor, had in his appeal, insisted that Governor Ayade lied about his age.

He presented exhibits before the court showing that Governor Ayade had in three different affidavits that were deposed to on oath, supplied conflicting dates as his year of birth.

One of the exhibits showed that Ayade had in the Nomination Form, Code PD 003/G, he submitted to contest the Cross River State election, specified on oath that he was born on March 2, 1969.

Another exhibit is an age declaration he attached to the form, which his brother Frank Ayade is said to have sworn to before a Cross River State High Court sitting at Oleh on February 1, 2007, showed that the Ayade was born in 1968.

The third and last exhibit the plaintiff tendered was a document that showed that the governor, while applying for admission into the University of Ibadan, tendered an age declaration indicating that he was born on March 2, 1966.

The bio-data was allegedly issued by the University itself.

However, when the matter came up for hearing, the, PDP, said it was sure that the governor violated its Electoral Guidelines by furnishing it with wrong data about his age.

“My Lords, after due consideration, we apply to concede to this appeal and consequently apply to withdraw the 1st respondent’s brief of argument dated May 17. We urge your lordships to find merit in the appeal and apply Article 14(b) and 15(2) of the PDP Electoral Guidelines which disqualifies any candidate that gives false age declaration,” PDP lawyer said.

The court after listening to the parties reserved its judgment till December 9.

By Ebere Ndukwu …

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