Alleged certificate scandal: court adjourns suit against Kwara governor to June 26

Another person, Olusola Olaseinde, has sought to be joined as co-claimants in the suit challenging the authenticity of the secondary school certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State.

This is just as the Kwara state High Court hearing the case in Ilorin on Monday ruled that the claimant, Abraham Adekunle, has not discontinued the case.

At the sitting of the court, Governor Abdulrazaq, through his counsel, Lawal Jimoh, argued that the claimant has discontinued the case.

He sought to tender a copy of the notice of discontinuance said to have been filed by the claimant on May 15 but counsel to the claimant, Oludele Lawrence, said that he was not aware of his client’s intention to discontinue the case.

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The presiding judge, Adenike Akinpelu, ruled in line with the argument of the counsel to the claimant that the case subsist and not yet discontinued.

The court then proceeded to the application for joinder by Olaseinde the notice of which was filed on June 10.

The counsel to Olaseinde, Olawale Babalola, contended that since seven days have elapsed after the filing of the notice, the defendant was out of time to respond to the notice.

Counsel to the defendant, however, argued that in computing seven days the day of service was to be excluded making yesterday inclusive of the seven days.

Justice Akinpelu ruled that June 17 was inclusive of the seven days and held that the defendant was still within the time to respond to the notice.

She then adjourned the matter to June 26 for further mentioning.