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• WAEC does not keep certificates of candidates – official
Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) on Thursday appeared before the Ogun State election petition tribunal without tendering a copy of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s certificate.
Ladi Adebutu, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election, had alleged that Abiodun forged his WAEC certificate.
WAEC had earlier been subpoenaed by the tribunal to produce a copy of Dapo Abiodun’s 1978 WAEC certificate as attached to the form he filled with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In his petition, Adebutu stated that Abiodun “presented a forged West African Examinations Council School Certificate of June 1978 to the 1st Respondent” (INEC) on July 25, 2022..
The petitioner further stated that he had written a letter to WAEC, to verify the authenticity of the said examination certificate presented by Abiodun to INEC.
The official of the examination body, Olufemi Olaleye, who appeared before the tribunal on Thursday, was not with the disputed certificate, neither did he confirm whether or not the governor sat for the examination as claimed.
The WAEC official was neither sworn nor was he allowed to enter the witness box as he said “the requested certificate is not here with me.”
However, Olaleye was allowed to tender in evidence, a copy of the subpoena issued to the examination body, upon which he was at the tribunal.
Speaking, Olaleye told the tribunal he did not bring the requested certificate “because WAEC does not keep duplicates of collected WAEC certificates.”
He stated that to confirm whether or not somebody partakes in the council’s examination, “the original certificate given to the candidate will be forwarded to WAEC” for verification.
Olaleye was discharged immediately he was recorded as having testified before the tribunal as PW73.
