Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate representing Surulere Constituency II, Mrs. Mosunmola Sangodara, did not submit her educational certificate to the commission.
INEC, which made the allegation through its officer in charge of Surulere Constituency, Mrs. Erhokpeadmwen Awhefeda, also told Justice Nicholas Oweibo that the candidate did not fully comply with the statutory requirements of the electoral body.
Awhefeda was testifying as a witness in a suit filed by an APC aspirant, Olasunkanmi Shittu, to challenge the primary that produced Sangodara as the candidate of the party for the 2023 elections.
Shittu, in Suit FHC/L/CS/1468/2022, is praying for the court to disqualify Sangodara and declare him as the APC candidate for next year’s election.
INEC, Sangodara and the APC are the first to third defendants in the suit.
While being cross-examined by the plaintiff’s counsel, Dr Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Awhefeda said the defendant did not attach her educational certificates to her form, which is a mandatory condition set by INEC.
When Pinheiro confronted the witness with INEC form EC9 and asked her to tell the court whether all the conditions therein were mandatory or not, the witness answered yes.
Pinheiro then asked her if the educational certificate columns were filled by the 2nd defendant and attached.