Cross River state Governor, Ben Ayde has been accused of falsifying his age.
THIS DAY reports that the accusation was made by Joe Agi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN. Agi has reportedly dragged the governor to court for giving false information on his nomination form. He's claiming Ayade lied and is therefore unfit to be Governor.
However, in defense of the Governor, another SAN Paul Erokoro has accused Agi of feeding the media with distorted facts. He said, ''any suggestions that Prof. Ben Ayade forged his age declaration are ridiculous. The Governor’s Age Declaration, which he submitted to both his party and the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC), carries his correct date of birth, March 2, 1968.
''His driver’s license, voter’s card, current and old international passports, all carry that date of birth. His records in all the schools he ever attended, including the University of Ibadan and the Nigerian Law School, all carry that same date of birth.
''Mr. Joseph Agi is not in court about a forged age declaration. He is trying to capitalise on a simple error made by the Governor’s Special Assistant on his nomination form, by writing 1969 instead of 1968. Neither date makes a difference to Prof. Ayade’s qualification for the office of governor.”
''Both Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and INEC saw it as a trivial error, especially as his age declaration attached to the form showed his correct age. Agi is however bent on feeding distorted facts to a section of the media in order to scandalise the governor'',Erokoro added.
AGE FALSIFICATION: Cross River Governor 'Ayade' Accused
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