The Kogi State governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Wuse Magistrate Court, Abuja on Thursday admitted in evidence Mr. Edward Onoja’s double birth certificate.
Edward Onoja’s conflicting birth certificate showed that the one he tendered at the entry into the Guaranty Trust Bank where he worked was different from the one he tendered in the INEC form.
At the Guarantee Trust Bank, Onoja claimed that he was born on August 9, 1974 while in the INEC form ECF0001, he claimed to have been born on August 9, 1975, which he swore an affidavit to support his declaration, a situation that might amount to perjury.
Edward Onoja’s age falsification was first revealed by the Counsel to the SDP governorship candidate, Natasha Akpoti in a separate motion in court by Natasha Akpoti in attempt to disqualify Yahaya Bello and Edward Onoja.
Mr. Edward David Onoja declared his age with Guaranty Trust Bank that he was born in 1974, while he.declared in the INEC documents that he was born in 1975.
The documents were admitted at the instance of Natasha Akpoti’s legal team who insisted that the evidence were in support of their claim against the election of Yahaya Bello in the November, 2019 election.
Counsel to the state Govenor and Deputy Governor, did not raise any objection against the allegations and observation of Natasha’s legal team .
In their demand, the SDP candidate wants the tribunal to ask Bello to vacate the seat and order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election.
Akpoti insisted that the election was marred with irregularities and violence, a development that Yahaya Bello should not benefit from it.
The SDP also asked the tribunal to declare the election null and void following the omission of her name from some of the result sheets and incidences of her name being written with a pen on some result sheets.
Respondents in the suit are Yahaya Bello, his running mate, Edward Onoja, Independent National Electoral Commission and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
