Adeleke’s certificates were validated by education ministry, witness tells tribunal

Bunmi Jenyo, a witness presented by Ademola Adeleke, Osun governor, told the election tribunal that the governor’s educational certificates were valid and legal.

Testifying under cross-examination by Akin Olujimi, counsel to former governor Gboyega Oyetola, the witness said Adeleke did not forge any certificate nor did he have any conflict in his certificates submitted to contest the July 16 election.

He said all the schools attended by the governor in the United States confirmed his certificates, and transcripts across the various schools.

“The certificates and schools attended were also reviewed and their legality was confirmed by the Nigerian federal ministry of education,” Jenyo said.

In his response, Olujinmi questioned the authenticity of some documents tendered by Jenyo before the court and reserved his contention in his final written address.

Meanwhile, another witness, Samuel Oduntan who is a forensic expert, tendered the forensic report conducted on some election materials/BVAS machines before the court.

He said Adeleke had requested a forensic audit following the order of the tribunal directing INEC to allow the second respondent (Adeleke) to inspect all the electoral materials.

“The second respondent instructed me to carry out physical inspection as well as digital forensic examination on the BVAS machine devices used for the election,” he said.

Oduntan said his observations were reached in consonance with the global best practices required of a statistician/forensic examiner.

“I examined BVAS machines obtained from INEC, CTC of forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C and EC8D,” he said. 

“I also examined CTC of forms EC40G, INEC Osun state directory of polling units, 2022; BVAS authentication report and BVAS machines.”

Other documents examined are INEC regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections and a manual for election officials.

Adeleke, who contested the election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was seeking re-election.

Adeleke secured 403,371 votes to defeat Oyetola who polled 375,027 votes.

He was sworn into office as governor on November 27.