A federal high court in Abuja has been asked to disqualify Musa Wada, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidate in Kogi state.
In a suit filed before the court on Thursday, Femi Joseph, a lawyer from Kabba/Bunu local government area of the state, alleged that Wada submitted false information about his academic qualifications.
The plaintiff said the primary school certificate Wada submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is either fake or forged.
He alleged that the certificate, which Wada claimed to have obtained in 1973 in the old Kwara state, was not original as its serial number is “too far from the several other” certificates issued at the time.
Joseph said Wada’s signature in 1975 as contained in the certificate “is the same as that of today as evidenced by his signature on the Form CF001.”
He added that the “approximate date of birth for all authentic certificates issued in 1973 and about the time, only had a year of birth and not the date and month as the third defendant’s (Wada’s) purported certificate of primary education.”
The plaintiff, through his lawyer, sought “a declaration that the third defendant’s INEC FORM CF001 and the Primary School Certificate, bearing Number: 910922, attached therewith and submitted to the 2nd defendant (INEC) by the 1st and 3rd defendants (PDP and Wada), contain false information regarding the 3rd defendant’s Primary School Certificate.”
He also prayed for “an order disqualifying the 3rd defendant from contesting the Kogi State governorship election slated November 16, 2019, for submitting to the 2nd defendant in his INEC FORM CF001 and the documents attached therewith, false information concerning his Primary School Certificate.”
Musa is believed to be the main challenger of Yahaya Bello, the incumbent governor, who is seeking reelection in Saturday’s election.
