The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State has said the governor of the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun, must defend the allegations of educational certificate forgery and perjury against him.
The State Chairman of the APC loyal to former Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Chief Derin Adebiyi, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday.
Adebiyi, who is still contesting the dissolution of the state’s APC executive by the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, said he did not take part in the screening of Abiodun’s documents before the election, saying everything was done by the National Chairman.
Saga Gist reported on Monday that the Ogun State chapter of the Assembly of Patriots International asked the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to investigate the educational qualifications of Gov Abiodun.
The Secretary of API, Olasukanmi Oyekale, in a petition alleged that Abiodun made a false declaration under oath when he contested the senatorial seat in 2015 and during the 2019 governorship election in his form CF001.
But Adebiyi, who said he remained the only authentic Chairman of the APC in Ogun State, declared that he played no role in the selection of Abiodun as the APC governorship candidate.
Adebiyi maintained that the records with him confirmed there were discrepancies in what Gov. Abiodun filled in his INEC Form CF001 in 2015 when he was contesting for Ogun East senatorial seat and what he filled in the same form for his 2019 governorship race.
“Don’t forget that Gov. Dapo Abiodun contested for the senatorial senate in 2015 under this party. He submitted documents to the party and to the INEC. This is an open file. Mind you, all these documents are with some people. He came this year, and they said he only has school certificate.
“It is very easy to tell lies but it is not easy to cover it, because if you tell one lie today, you will need 100 lies in a year’s time to sustain it. You cannot tell me that in 2015, you’re 20 years old and you come and and tell me in 2019 that you are 18 years old; it does not make sense. For the purpose of elections, the INEC stipulates that we will go before the judiciary and swear an oath and we will sign. People have the record, which I also have with me.” he said.
Adebiyi spoke further that, “In dealing with official matters, I have always been very consistent. I don’t care whose ox is gored and I don’t fear telling the authority nothing but the truth. We are talking about fighting corruption, if we are going to fight corruption, it must start from us. The maker of what you’re saying, I think he is in a better position to explain this. As far as I am concerned, we have records that confirmed what you are saying. In the record, what he submitted in 2015 is what we have in the record.”
The party chieftain asserted that though Abiodun was still enjoying immunity as a sitting governor, the immunity did not prevent him from being investigated.
“I know as a matter of fact that as a Governor he now has immunity. I equally know according to the judgment of the Supreme Court that, the immunity does not say that he may not be investigated; they may have to wait until he drops his immunity before he can be charged for anything. But to me, we must endeavour to do the correct thing at all times.
“The correct thing is that justice must prevail; fairness, justice and equity. We must have one law. If the law says this is the way things should be done, if anyone contravenes it, that person should be punished so that they will know that truly, we are fighting against corruption.”
“I am very sure he has been dragged to the judiciary and he is in a better position to explain his points. I know he will not be found culpable because he as a governor, he will explain himself.
“He is in a position to controvert it and set the record straight. To me, it is a new allegation but I cannot deny the fact that what you are saying, I saw it on the file,” Adebiyi added.
Meanwhile, Adebiyi has accused Oshiomhole of plunging the APC into danger, saying the APC National Chairman was behaving like an undertaker.
“This party is in danger with Oshiomhole as the head. Oshiomhole is behaving as an undertaker. Oshiomhole is not a democrat. He could have come as a military person,” he stated.
