Iyabo Obasanjo is an ex-convict; AC candidate tells tribunal, Says she was convicted twice in US - We’re not aware - PDP
Olayinka Olukoya, Abeokuta - 16.11.2007

AN Action Congress senatorial candidate in the last National Assembly elections in Ogun State, Chief Remilekun Bakare, on Thursday said before the Election Petition Tribunal that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, is an ex-convict.


Bakare, who was giving evidence before the tribunal, added that the daughter of the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, had been convicted twice in the United States of America.


The petitioner, who tendered a document in respect of the alleged convictions, said that details on her convictions on traffic offences were downloaded from the internet. He said he then decided to present the details as evidence before the tribunal.


The tribunal, headed by Justice Haruna Tsannami, rejected the evidence following objections from counsel for Senator Obasanjo-Bello, Chief Abeeb Ajayi and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Olayode Delana, on the admissibility of the documents.


Mr. Folorunsho Ajala, counsel for Chief Bakare, had earlier called him into the witness box, during which he said that the daughter of the former president was convicted twice in the United States.


“I have documents to substantiate the fact that while she was residing in the USA, she was convicted on two separate occasions.” Chief Ajayi had objected to the document and cited different authorities.


He described the document brought before the tribunal as “a worthless piece of paper.” The INEC counsel noted that the document, being a public document, must be duly certified by concerned authorities before such documents could be admitted as evidence.


Justice Tsamanni, in his ruling, said that only a certified true copy of such a document was admissible, adding that the document presented did not satisfy Section 113(9) of the Evidence Act.


The petitioner also presented another evidence which was a gazette of the indictment of Senator Obasanjo-Bello which was admitted without any objection to its admissibility by the opposing counsel.


Reacting to the allegation, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, through its Director of Organisation, Mr. Deji Kalejaiye, said that the party had no knowledge that Senator Obasanjo-Bello is an ex-convict.


“She is our senator representing Ogun Central at the National Assembly. Before her election, she was properly screened by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and was given the go-ahead to contest the election and she won.


“She was for four years a commissioner under the Chief Gbenga Daniel’s administration and passed through a rigorous screening before the state House of Assembly and she was never indicted by the House,” he said.


The PDP spokesman also added: “This is simply the handiwork of the opposition and I want to say that their efforts would be in futility.”

nigeria1:

mrpataki , traffic offence are NOT A CRIMINAL offence in the USA, canada and britian. It is only when you have an accident, then it goes from a civil to criminal case. you can call any lawyer in the USA. And they would tell you. And bankole. It look like you have never stay abroad before,

nigeria1:

Bankole you are a lier, you are only just trying to set Iyabo obasanjo up,

Like I said before, I was on the same airplane with Iyabo Obasanjo to the USA. And she could not have entered the USA if she had criminal record. The USA law does not allow it. The Judge can go to the USA embassy in Nigeria to verify this information, stop the lies.

If you doubt my story that she enter the USA. It was a KLM flight and KLM can confirm my story. I could take the pain to get the date if I could find a copy of my ticket.

So bankole your lies are over,

almondjoy:

Most traffic offenses are not "criminal" in nature in the US, unless in the category of "vehicular homocide" as a result of drug related cases, suspended licences and DUI offences. Some can lead to other criminal activities. But most are not criminal in nature.

Specifically--"moving" violations are not criminal in nature---speeding, illegal lane changes and so on are not criminal in nature.

Frankies:

you dumb ass,

Offence is an offence, that is the argument of the counsel for Mr Remi, according to the legal code of Nigeria, once you are tried in any form , you are already convicted,that is the point the lawyer is holding.

Dont come in here and contribute senselessly as you are known to do.

almondjoy:

I know darling! We are talking of the US not Nigeria. Nigeria has no laws to adhere to--only "anything goes laws". So please follow the trend of the discussion and do not get stuck on the thread's topic or go back to the hole in your mattress! Major Wanka!

Criminal matter on the other hand involve something more cynical and will usually involve spending time before bar or probation at minimu.

babasin:

I know repeated traffic offenders, who go their licence revoked and taken to court.

They are no allowed to drive for two years and this was inserted into their criminal records as 'dangerous to public'

As said, they need to provide the 'official judgement' and we can see if she stands to be senator or not.

babasin:

I know repeated traffic offenders, who go their licence revoked and taken to court.

They are no allowed to drive for two years and this was inserted into their criminal records as 'dangerous to public'

As said, they need to provide the 'official judgement' and we can see if she stands to be senator or not.

Frankies:


offence is an offence , whether in Nig or US. that is the argument of the counsel , you dumb ass.

For your info, don't call me darling. you embarass me. you slut.

Darling from a fool like you is humuliating to me.

almondjoy:

Sweetheart, Pray tell me what is left in you to humiliate?

You cannot even differentiate between crimes and misdemeanors. All you can say here in your 1 kobo, cyber cafe, yahoo vocab is that "offence is an offence"? Please go and empty your coin meters at your cyber cafe in Ijesha before your attendants rob you blind!--while you self-service off on your okada!

look guys, let us debate important issues. Iyabo Obasonjo could have won the Election even without direct rigging as she is the daughter of a sitting President who is not unpopular among his own people in Abeokuta.

Those who 'love' OBJ in Abeokuta are definitely more than those that 'hate' him.[/quote

Do you know that in the last governorship election, the ANPP candidate Senator Ibikunle Amosun won in OBjJ's ward and local government. So don't assume

She would win anyways