The police have summoned Ademola Adeleke, a Nigerian senator and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the gubernatorial election scheduled for this weekend.
The police said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that their investigation revealed that Adeleke, his family and associates connived with some school administrators to allow him sit for the National Examination Council (NECO) in 2017.
The candidate was subsequently directed to immediately turn himself in to face prosecution.
Adeleke’s school credentials have come under intense scrutiny since he emerged the candidate of the PDP in Osun State some weeks ago. The senator’s opponents during the primaries contended that he had no credible school certificate and should be disqualified from the race.
Adeleke went on to become the candidate, nonetheless, and the PDP has continued to back him as its candidate, saying his results have been found to be genuine and the public should dismiss contrary insinuations.
As the police were making their case against Adeleke and summoning him to appear for arraignment only three days to an election in which he is a major candidate, the West African Examination Council, WAEC reportedly cleared the senator of any wrongdoing.
Although Adeleke denied all allegations when the police started their investigation into his academic credentials in July, they revealed Wednesday that they made arrests and questioned several suspects in the last few weeks.
It was not immediately clear how the latest move by the police would affect Adeleke’s chances on Saturday, if his candidature is not scuttled within the short time left to election day