- Safiu Kehinde
The All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Federal Capital Territory Magistrate Court has denied the disqualification of the party’s Edo governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo, labelling the purported court judgement pronouncing his disqualification as fake.
Following the circulation of a court ruling stating the disqualification of the APC candidate, the party had in a statement issued today, denied the ruling.
According to the APC, the ruling, which they described as false fabrication and fake news, was an alleged attempt by some opposition parties to blackmail Okpebholo and sow seed of doubts about the APC candidate in the mind of Edo voters.
“In the final hours to the Edo State Gubernatorial Election scheduled to be held tomorrow Saturday, September 21, 2024, certain political parties have desperately resorted to forgery, disinformation and blackmail by circulating a FAKE Magistrate court ruling purportedly disqualifying Senator Monday Okpebholo, the APC Gubernatorial Candidate in the election.
“The circulated RULING IS FAKE, a FABRICATION and an act of pure desperation in the face of their imminent defeat at the polls.
“The Magistrate Court that purportedly issued the FAKE RULING has issued a disclaimer stating categorically that the FAKE RULING did not emanate from that court.
“The FAKE NEWS meant to sow seeds of doubt about the APC candidate is a blatant and calculated attempt to subvert the will of the Edo electorate and must be thoroughly rejected by the good and discerning people of Edo State.” The statement read in part.
Meanwhile, also attached to the statement was a disclaimer from the Federal Capital Territory Magistrate Court which also tagged the said court ruling as false and misleading.
As contained in the statement signed by the Court Magistrate, Abubakar Mukthar, no judgement was delivered in the court today.
However, Mukthar admitted that there is a pending case against the APC candidate over alleged age falsification and forgery which were mentioned in the fake ruling.
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the general public be informed that the story circulating regarding the purported disqualification of Senator Monday Okpebholo from the Edo State Governorship Election due to age falsification and forgery is entirely FALSE and MISLEADING.
“No judgement has been delivered in this Court today, and no verdict has been reached in the above-mentioned case.
“The allegations of age falsification and forgery against Okpebholo are currently under investigation, and the defendant was summoned to appear before this Court. The matter remains pending.
“Pursuant to Section 133 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, spreading false information is punishable by imprisonment. This will be invoke on the writer and publisher of the fake judgement.” Mukthar wrote