Kogi Guber Poll: Court Asked to Disqualify PDP’s Candidate

Alex Enumah in Abuja

With less than 48 hours to the 2019 governorship election in Kogi State, the Federal High Court in Abuja has been urged to disqualify the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Musa Wada, over alleged false information contained in his form CF 001 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in aid of his clearance for the election.

Wada, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1147/2019 and filed on November 6, is specifically accused of forging his primary school certificate which he attached to his Form CF001 submitted to INEC.

One Femi Joseph, who filed the suit through his counsel, Mike Enahoro Ebah, said by the virtue of Section 31(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), he reasonably believes that the information supplied by the PDP candidate, Wada, in both his Form CF001 and the attached First School Leaving Certificate as to his primary school education were false.

He, therefore, prayed the court to determine that the information was indeed false, and on that basis, disqualify him from contesting as the candidate of the PDP in the forthcoming gubernatorial elections.

Other issues the plaintiff brought before the court for determination include: “Whether having regard to the clear and unambiguous provisions of Section 31 (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), third defendant’s INEC Form

CFOO1 and the Primary School Certificate bearing number: 910922, attached therewith and submitted to the second defendant by the first and third defendants, contain false information regarding the third defendant’s Primary School Certificate.

“A declaration that having regard to the clear and unambiguous provisions of Section 31 (5) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), vis-a-vis the third defendant’s INEC Form CFOO1 and the Primary School Certificate, bearing number: 910922, attached therewith and submitted to the second defendant by the first and third defendants, the said the third defendant is disqualified from contesting the state governorship election slated for November 16, 2019, for submitting to the second defendant false information regarding the third defendant’s Primary School Certificate.

“An order disqualifying the third defendant from contesting the Kogi State governorship election slated for November 16, 2019, for submitting to the second defendant in his INEC Form CFOO1 and the documents attached therewith, false information concerning his Primary School Certificate.

“An order restraining the second defendant from accepting the third defendant as a candidate to contest the state governorship election or parading or holding himself out as governorship candidates in the Kogi State governorship election.”