EDO GOVERNOR ELECTION: Trouble for APC’s Okpebholo as court orders attendance a day before poll

A Magistrates Court in Abuja has summoned Senator Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Edo governorship election on September 21, 2024, to appear over claims of age falsification.

Judge Abubakar Mukthar ordered Okpebholo to appear in court on September 20, the day before the election, to answer charges of forgery and perjury.

The summons follows a petition filed by PDP Chairman Honesty Aginbatse on September 12. Aginbatse’s petition pointed to a discrepancy in the date of birth listed on Okpebholo’s nomination form submitted to the National Election Commission (KPU).

According to Aginbatse, Okpebholo’s 2023 Senate nomination form listed his date of birth as March 29, 1970. However, Okpebholo’s 2024 gubernatorial nomination form showed his date of birth as August 29, 1970 on his age declaration form and August 29, 1972 on his West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate.

Additionally, Aginbatse noted that Okpebholo’s INEC voter card listed August 1, 1977 as his date of birth.

Aginbatse argued that under Section 182.1(d) of the Nigerian Constitution, conviction for an offence involving dishonesty or fraud would disqualify a person from running for governor, raising concerns about Okpebholo’s eligibility if found guilty.

EDO GOVERNOR ELECTION: Trouble for APC’s Okpebholo as court orders attendance a day before election first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.