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No fewer than 25 political parties are jostling for the number one position in Osun State as the August 9 governorship election in the state approaches.
However, based on the document obtained by THISDAY yesterday from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state, all the candidates are qualified to contest in the election as they had all furnished the electoral body with their credentials.
The document signed by the Administrative Officer of INEC in the state, Mrs. Augusta C. Ogakwu, noted that 13 of the candidates including the incumbent governor of the state, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), tendered their secondary school certificates in contrast to others that submitted their degree certificates.
The flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PPD) and the major challenger in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore, is the only candidate that submitted a PhD certificate to INEC.
Meanwhile, INEC in the state said in compliance with section 3 subsections 3, 4 and 5 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), it had since Monday, June 16, made public credentials of all candidates contesting the gubernatorial poll.
In a release signed and made available to journalists in Osogbo by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the state INEC, Mrs. Tadese Adenike, the personal particulars submitted to the electoral body by all the candidates had been displayed at the office of the commission and its 30 local government offices.
The statement however, urged members of the public to scrutinise the documents with a view to questioning the authenticity of the credentials where necessary under the law.
It further charged any citizen of the state who has any claim or doubts the originality of the documents submitted to INEC by the candidates to approach the court of law.
The statement read: in part: "In compliance with section 31 subsections 3, 4 and 5 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), Osun State, on Monday, June 16, 2014, displayed personal particulars of all candidates contesting the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election in the state.
"By this act, members of the public by law, have the opportunity to scrutinise the documents submitted by candidates as pasted by INEC.
"Any person who has any claim to question the information given by these candidates should approach the court of law. General public please note."
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