Alleged Certificate Forgery: Kwara Gov’s counsel speaks on alleged moves to seek WAEC compromise for Abdulrazaq

By Mumini AbdulKareem

A counsel to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, last night, reacted to
the report of alleged move by his family members to seek the
cooperation of the headquarters of the West African Examination
Council (WEAC) in Lagos to provide a soft landing for his client.
Governor Abdulrazaq is presently in court over allegation that he
forged the WEAC certificate he used to contest the 2019 gubernatorial
election. There are two cases over the issue with the court case
adjourned till 26th, June, 2019 and July 9, 2019 for the tribunal.
The online report which went viral in the state last week and trended
on many social media platforms alleged that on Tuesday, 18th of June
2019, one of the legal representatives of the Governor, Barr. Salmon
Jawondo and the Governor’s sister, Hajia Khairat Razaq-Gwadabe were
sighted at the record and legal department session of WAEC office in
Yaba, Lagos State to “pressurise the officials of the international
examination body to do their bidding by compromising the official
records of the governor which is in the custody of the council”.
Speaking on the allegation in a telephone chat with our reporter,
Jawondo who maintained that his client, has no issue with his
certificate and vowed to seek legal redress over the matter.
He described the allegation as not only defamatory but an attempt to
rubbish the integrity of the Governor.
“That day that the report claimed I was in Lagos at WAEC office which
was Tuesday 18th June, 2019, I was actually in Ilorin, I never
travelled and I don’t even know the office of the examination body.
“Do WAEC operate like that giving the result of somebody else to
another person? This is nothing but defamation and we will approach
the court of law to seek legal redress. They filed two cases on the
issue of the allegation that the Governor has no certificate. But they
have not been able to call witnesses because they know they don’t have
anything in court.
“The Governor has no problem with his certificate and this is nothing
but complete defamation. Politics should not be played with falsehood
and half-truth and like I said, we will not allow this falsehood to
just pass. We will take this up with whoever is involved to send a
strong signal that somebody cannot just sit somewhere and concoct such
tales”, he added.