Alleged forgery: “We Didn’t Have Sangodara’s School Certificate”, -INEC
A Lagos Federal High Court, today, was told that the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate representing Surulere Constituency 2, Mrs. Mosunmola Sangodara, did not comply with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) statutory requirements.
An officer in charge of Surulere Constituency of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mrs. Erhokpeadmwen Rita Awhefeda, made the revelation, while testifying as a witness before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, in a suit challenging Sangodara’s candidacy by another aspirant, Olasunkanmi Shittu. 
Shittu, who is the plaintiff in Suit marked FHC/L/CS/1468/2022, is praying 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.
At the resumed hearing of the suit today, Awhefeda was cross examined by plaintiff’s counsel Dr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN).
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 second defendant and attached.
Witness responded and said: “No.” She did not fill it
The lawyer then asked Awhefeda to confirm if Sangodara has properly met INEC conditions by not filling the educational certificate columns, which is a requirements of law.
She said: “No she did not complied”
Awhefeda who was led by INEC’s counsel Mr. Ibrahim Olawale, had earlier adopted her witness statement on oath.
The court could not was constrained from taking Sangodara’s evidence.
Her counsel Oridate prayed the court to adjourn the suit because of an application he intended to file. He told the judge that tomorrow (Friday) would not be convenient.
But Pinheiro opposed him, arguing that an application for an adjournment was merely a ploy to “orchestrate undue delay.”
Justice Oweibo, in a bench ruling, upheld Pinheiro’s counter.
The judge reasoned that everybody must be prepared to make sacrifices in the interest of justice, going by a recent directive of the Chief Judge who has formed a task force on pre election matters.
He adjourned till tomorrow for Sangodara to give her evidence.
Earlier, the Deputy Registrar of Yaba college of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos Mr. Olufunmi Dada had told the court that the candidate did not graduate from the school as an Higher National Diploma (HND) holder.
