Court summons Sen. Okpebholo over alleged age falsification

A Magistrates’ Court in Abuja has summoned Sen. Monday Okpebholo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for the 2024 Edo elections, to appear before it over alleged age falsification.

He is charged with forgery and perjury.

The suit, filed by a PDP Chieftain, Honesty Aginbatse, on Sept 12 alleged discrepancies in the birth dates provided in the nomination forms Okpebholo submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Sen. Okpebholo is to appear before magistrate, Abubakar Mukhtar on Sept 20.

Magistrate Mukthar adjourned the case until Sept. 20.

Aginbatse alleged that Okpebholo’s 2023 Senate nomination form listed his birth date as March 29, 1970.

He added that however, Okpebholo‘s 2024 governorship nomination forms contained Aug. 29, 1970 an an age declaration form and Aug. 29, 1972 on his West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate.

Aginbatse also alleged that Okpebholo, had Aug. 1, 1977 as his date of birth on his INEC voter card.

He stated that Under Section 182.1 (d) of the Nigerian Constitution, a conviction for offenses involving dishonesty or fraud disqualifies a person from running for governor, raising questions about Okpebholo’s eligibility if convicted.