INEC submits Adeleke’s certificates at tribunal in Osogbo

• Oyetola kicks, says documents illegible for prosecution
• Tribunal asks body to produce complete file Saturday

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday, produced Form CF001, containing WAEC-GCE certificate and Secondary School Testimonial of Governor Ademola Adeleke before the Osun Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Osogbo.

This was in compliance with the order of Justice Tertsea Kume, the tribunal chairman, on November 25. Kume had ordered the National Chairman of INEC to produce Form CF001 after INEC in Osogbo office said the documents were not in its custody, but with its headquarters in Abuja.

Lead counsel to INEC, Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN), informed the court that the order had been complied with and that the documents had been brought from Abuja by Mrs. Joan Arabs, a Deputy Director.

Arabs, thereafter, presented the documents to the court, which was admitted and affirmed that the documents had been produced in compliance to the order.

However, counsel to the petitioners (APC and Gboyega Oyetola), Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), after going through the two-page documents, told the tribunal that the documents were not legible and could not be used to prosecute their case.

He also said that the second document, School Testimonial, obtained from Ede Muslim Grammar School by Adeleke, does not have the address or location of the school on it.

He, therefore, told the court that the documents could not be used or managed by them, urging the tribunal to take note of their objections to the documents.

Kume upheld the objection of the petitioners and ruled that the respondent (INEC) had not fully complied with the tribunal’s order to produce Form CF001, saying that the documents produced were not legible.

INEC counsel, thereafter, asked the tribunal to allow it snap the documents in their custody in Abuja and forward same so that the hearing could go on.

Kume then granted the request and gave a break of one hour 30 minutes for INEC to get the documents. After the arguments and submissions by the petitioners and respondents’ counsel, they agreed that the original file containing Form CF001 in INEC custody in Abuja be brought to the tribunal next week.

The tribunal chairman then adjourned next hearing to December 3, 2022 for INEC to produce clean and clear copies of the original file containing Form CF001. He said that if INEC fails to comply, the coercive power of the tribunal would be invoked.