By Ibraheem Solaudeen.
The Kwara State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, will on Friday, September 20, deliver judgment in the petition filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rasak Atunwa, challenging the election of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.
The PDP and its candidate, Atunwa, are challenging Governor Abdulrazaq’s election by virtue of the Governor’s alleged submission of a forged secondary school certificate, which according to them, disqualifies his candidacy for the March 9, governorship election.
The respondents in the case, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have urged the tribunal to dismiss the petition.
At Wednesday’s hearing, counsel to the PDP/ Atunwa and the respondents adopted their final written addresses before the three-person tribunal chaired by Justice Bassey Efiong.
The West African Examination Council, WAEC, had testified that Governor Abdulrazaq sat for the exams in 1976, bearing Razaq A.R., and was issued his certificate likewise.
The representative of the examination body, Olorunsola Victor, also noted that at least 31 other candidates had their names abbreviated in the same year.
Corroborating WAEC’s testimony, a classmate of the governor at the Kaduna Government College, Kabiru Yaro, who testified on behalf of the respondent, told the tribunal that Abdulrazaq sat in front of him during the examination with serial number 119.
The tribunal will deliver judgment on the matter on September 20.