Edo Governorship Election: Okpebholo Summoned to Court Over Alleged False Declaration Of Birth Date

Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the upcoming Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21, has been summoned by a Magistrate’s Court in Abuja. The summons follows allegations of making a false statement regarding his date of birth on his nomination forms submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to court documents, Okpebholo is required to appear before Magistrate Abubakar Mukhtar at the Wuse Zone 2 Magistrate Court in Abuja on September 20, 2024, at 12 noon. The case, numbered CR/W22/816/2024, was initiated by Honesty Aginbatse, an indigene of Edo State, who alleges that Okpebholo provided conflicting dates of birth in his documents. One form submitted by Okpebholo to INEC claims he was born on August 29, 1970, while another document, his West African Senior School Certificate, states he was born on August 29, 1972.

Aginbatse’s complaint includes several exhibits to support the accusation, including a certified true copy of the personal particulars submitted by Okpebholo to INEC, a statutory declaration of age, and the school certificate in question. The key issue is the inconsistency between the two birth dates, which Aginbatse argues is a false statement made on oath, in violation of electoral laws.

The legal proceedings come just a day before the governorship election, adding a layer of controversy and legal scrutiny to Okpebholo’s candidacy.