The Edo State High Court sitting in Benin, on Wednesday, voided the All Progressives Congress (APC) Deputy governorship candidate, Audu Ganiyu, in the September 19, 2020 governorship election.
A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kadiri Oshoakhemhe, had filed a suit against Ganiyu and two others.
The presiding judge, Justice H.A Courage-Ogbebor, while delivering judgment, said Ganiyu presented false information to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in his Form EC9.
Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki and the PDP, on Wednesday, closed their case before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja after the governor presented the certified true copy of his certificate from the University of Ibadan.
Mr Obaseki had presented the certificate on Tuesday.
At the resumed hearing of the suit, the defence concluded their case with the testimony of their third witness Prof Eghosa Osaghae of the Department of Comparative Politics, UI.
A chieftain of the APC, William Edobor had filed an alleged certificate forgery suit against Obaseki, asking the court to dismiss him as governor.
The certified true copy of Obaseki’s Political Science certificate issued by the UI in 1979 was admitted as exhibit by the court, with the defence arguing that the incomplete photocopied certificate presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Obaseki does not invalidate the authenticity of the certificate.
Under cross-examination, Prof Oseghae said with the constraints in photocopying a document from an A5 to A4 paper, he would take the risk and tender an incomplete copy of his certificate wherever it is required bearing in mind that he is in possession of the original certificate which can be verified later.
