Leaders of the Edo Peace Forum have again risen in defence of Mr Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State who has been dragged to the Edo State Election Tribunal to answer charges bothering on certificate forgery. The group speaking though its president in Council Chief Andrew Omoluabi described the continued hearing of the case as a ploy to unseat the popular governor through the back door. “People make mistakes”, he stated, arguing that this is a no-case submission since the University of Ibadan is still there for anyone to go and verify. “My own name is spelt as Omoluabi Andre in my waec, while in my first degree it is spelt as A. S. Omoluabi”. The president argued that should he venture out for politics; he is likely to be branded as a cheat by his detractors as it is now with Obaseki. The Edo State governor who has just narrowly escaped a bruising battle with his erstwhile godfather is being challenged by one Iboi Emmanuel, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) candidate who is asking the Tribunal to nullify his election on grounds of submitting false information to the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable him to run for the office. The discrepancy observed in Obaseki’s submission was deliberate, according to them, since the document couldn’t have been signed by someone who had retired and died. But his lawyer Adetunji Oyeyipo (SAN) contended that there was a misstatement in mixing up the year of graduation with the year of admission. But the undercurrent is that Mr Iboi may be part of a subtle Plan B to achieve what was not possible through the ballot box. Chief Andrew who urged the governor to close his ranks and make peace pleaded that he be left alone to work for the overall interest of the people of Edo State.
