OSUN ELECTION: WAEC clears PDP guber candidate Adeleke, Police files fresh charges

The claim by some people that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Osun State governorship election, Ademola Adeleke, forged his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate may have been rested as the body has confirmed he sat for the examination in 1981.

WAEC made the confirmation before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Bwari, Abuja on Wednesday.

However, Adeleke, who ordinarily should have been happy with the development, has found himself in another trouble ahead the governorship election scheduled to hold this Saturday in Osun State.

The latest headache for the PDP governorship candidate came as the Nigeria Police Force had, few hours after news of confirmation of his certificate by WAEC emerged, filed charges of examination malpractice, impersonation and criminal conspiracy against him.

WAEC had in a court filing, which it made in compliance with an order issued by Justice Othman Musa on September 11, confirmed that Adeleke sat for its examination in 1981.

He was listed in the results attached to the documents filed by WAEC as number 149 out of the 221 candidates that sat for the May/June 1981 examinations of the Council at Ede Muslim High School in Ede, Osun State.

According to the results, Adeleke only sat for English Language, scoring F9. He did not sit for other registered subjects, which included Mathematics, Literature in English, Islamic Knowledge, Geography, Economics and Biology.

Justice Musa had directed WAEC to produce Adeleke’s results in a ruling on an ex parte application by two plaintiffs, Mr. Wahab Raheem and Mr. Adam Habeeb. He had specifically ordered the examination body to produce in court the ledger containing results of Ademola and his mates with whom he sat for the examinations.

He had also ordered WAEC to swear to an affidavit either denying or confirming that Adeleke, an incumbent senator representing Osun West Senatorial District in the Senate, sat for the Council’s May/June 1981 examinations conducted by the Council at Ede Muslim High School in Ede, Osun State.

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The court further ordered both the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to show cause within five days from the day of service of the originating summons” why they should not be stopped from recognising Adeleke’s candidacy.

Adeleke, who had constantly denied forging his WAEC certificate, would have been free of worries but for the latest trouble.

In a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the police accused him of malpractices, impersonation and criminal conspiracy, and had therefore asked him and others accused alongside him to report to the Special Investigation Panel, Force Headquarters, Abuja immediately for arraignment in court.

Police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, September 19, said that investigations revealed that Senator Adeleke and his brother Sikiru Adeleke registered and sat for the National Examination Council Examination (NECO) 2017 as internal candidates, impersonating students of the school at the ages of 57 and 42 years respectively.

The police also said that the School Principal of Ojo-Aro Community High School, Egbedore Local Government Area, Osun State, and three others would equally be charged for abetting the crime.

Police statement reads:

“On 21st July 2017, the Osun State Police Intelligence Bureau (SIB) received and acted on an actionable intelligence about an ongoing examination malpractice involving Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke at OJO/Aro Community High School in Osun state.

“When the Police operative arrived at the school, only Sikiru Adeleke was found seated for the examination while Senator Ademola Adeleke seat was vacant and was suspected to have escaped before the arrival of the Police operatives.

“Further investigation revealed that both Senator Ademola Adeleke and his brother Sikiru Adeleke registered and were sitting for the National Examination Council Examination (NECO) 2017 as internal candidates impersonating students of the School at the ages of 57years and 42years respectively. This crime was facilitated by the principal of the school, and two other members of staff of the school for which they are under investigation and being charged to court.

“The Principal of the school, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau, the staff responsible for registration, Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo and a teacher Mr Dare Olutope were arrested on 21 July 2017.

“Senator Ademola Adeleke was arrested on 27 July 2017 and Sikiru Adeleke was arrested on 8 August 2017. “Senator Ademola Adeleke made cautionary statement and admitted that he registered for the 2017 NECO examinations as an internal student in the said school but he didn’t sit for the examination.

“However, Police investigation revealed the following primafacial and culpability facts against Senator Ademola Adeleke andfour (4) others.

“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.

“Senator Ademola Adeleke and four others were arrested, investigated, granted bail and being charged to court. Charges of Examination Malpractice, Criminal Conspiracy, Personation, Breach of Duty, Aiding and Abetting against Senator Ademola Adeleke (PDP Governorship Aspirant in the 22nd September, 2018 Gubernatorial Election in Osun State) and four (4) others namely; MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community High School, Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime) have been filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja under the Examination Malpractice Act, CAP E15, 2004 today, Wednesday, 19th September, 2018.

“Consequently, Senator Ademola Adeleke (PDP Governorship Aspirant in the 22nd September, 2018 Gubernatorial Election in Osun State) and four (4) others namely; MR Sikiru Adeleke, Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (Principal of Ojo-Aro Community High School, Egbedore LGA, Osun State), Mr Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (School Staff responsible for the registration of candidates for NECO), Mr Dare Olutope (School Teacher who facilitated the commission of the crime) are hereby advised in their own interest to report to the Special Investigation Panel, Force Headquarters, Abuja immediately for arraignment in court.”

 

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