Senatorial candidate docked for forgery

Lanre Adewole, Abuja - 28.02.2008

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, has been arraigned before an Abuja High Court over allegations that he forged documents clearing him as a candidate in the April 21 National Assembly election.

Oke, who is challenging Senator Hosea Ehinlawo over the Ondo South Senatorial District seat, was declared the lawful PDP candidate for the election by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

The issue of substitution between the duo is awaiting final prouncement by the Supreme Court.

In the six-count charge of forgery, fabricating false evidence and abetment against Oke, he was accused of forging the signature of the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, in the letter purportedly emanating from the party replacing him with Ehinlawo as the party’s candidate in the said election.

Oke, however, pleaded not guilty and was granted bail by Justice Abubakar Talba in the sum of N500, 000 and two sureties in like sum who must be responsible citizens and residents of the FCT.

His Counsel, Joy Adeshina, had in an oral application for bail, asked the court to grant her client bail as he was a legal practitioner and would not jump bail and that he had been on police bail.

According to her, “the accused having pleaded not guilty to all the charges, we shall be making two applications, one for an accelerated hearing of the matter and two for the accused person to be admitted to bail as the offences for which being charged are bail able offences.

“The matter is a political matter aimed at embarrassing and humiliating the accused person, we shall not be opposing the application by the prosecution for an adjournment, but the accused should be admitted to bail as he is a former member of the House of Representatives, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) and a legal practitioner” she added.