Oshiomhole Not Qualified to Be Governor – Tribunal told..

As the Edo State Electoral Tribunal hots up, the Tribunal has been told that Governor Adams Oshiomhole the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate was not a fit, an appropriate person to contest the governorship election as a result of his academic qualifications as stimulated by the constitution. The Tribunal was also told that the primary schools claimed to have been attended by Adams Oshiomhole was not in existence as at the time he claimed to have attended the school and that he Oshiomhole did not complete the secondary modern school he claimed to have attended.
In response to the reply of the Election petition filed by General Charles Ehigie Airhiavbere (Rtd) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Airhiavbere lead counsels Chief E.L. Akpofure, SAN and S.O. Agwinede Esq said that the voters register used for the election was manipulated as a manual register was smuggled in and used in several polling units contrary to INEC and political parties earlier position.
The summary of the response are as follows:
PARTICULARS
1. There was no Iyamoh Primary School, Iyamoh in 1957.
a) The 1st Respondent (Adams Oshimhole) was barred from enrolling into and entering primary one in 1957 having not attained the minimum age of SIX YEARS by the provision of Western Region of Nigeria Garzette No. 17 Vol. 5 dated 5th April, 1956.
b) The 1st Respondent dropped (Adams Oshimhole) out of the Secondary Modern School in the second year and did not complete the mandatory three years course at Blessed Martin Secondary Modern School, Jattu-Uzairue, which he claimed to have attended between 1963 and 1965.
c) Unexplained discrepancies in the academic certificates presented as aforesaid.
d) The Petitioners state in reply to paragraph 27 of the said Reply that publication in the Newspaper like the Nation Newspaper does not cure the effect of the continued campaign carried out by the 1st and 2nd Respondents (Adams Oshiomhole and the ACN) beyond the prescribed campaign period as stipulated by law.
2. In specific reply to paragraph 24 of the 2nd Respondent’s Reply to the Petition, the Petitioners (Airhiavbere & PDP) state that the 1st Respondents (Adams Oshiomhole) is not the owner of the Secondary School Modern School Certificates and the altered Testimonial presented to the 3rd Respondent and the 1st Respondent does not have Primary School Leaving Certificate.
3. The Petitioners aver in reply to paragraph 23 of the 2nd Respondent’s Reply to the Petition that the 1st Respondent(Adams Oshiomhole) is not educated up to School Certificate Level or its equivalent contrary to Section 182 (1)(J) of the same Constitution (as amended) .
4. In answer and reply to paragraph 22 and 22(a) of the said 2nd Respondent’s Reply, the Petitioners (Airhiavbere & PDP) state that the production of new Manual Registers under any circumstance for use in the Governorship election in Edo State on the 14th day of July, 2012 amount to a revision or amendment which was clearly prohibited by the 3rd Respondent (INEC).
5. In further response to the said paragraph 15 and 16 of the 2nd Respondent’s Reply, the Petitioners state the laid down accreditation and voting procedures in the manual For Election Officials were not observed and the column for “Governor” were not ticked as required and box for entering number of accredited voters and other statistical Election data were not followed rendering the various Forms EC8A affected void.
6. In further answer and reply to paragraph 11(c) of the said 2nd Respondent’s Reply, the Petitioners state that any addition to or alteration of the said 2011 Voters Registers amount to a revision which the 3rd Respondent’s expressly and unambiguously prohibited. All revised Voters Registers are void as far as they affect the said July 14, 2012 Governorship Election in Edo State.

Edo Political Forum.