A civil society group in Taraba state has demanded the immediate disqualification of the ex-deputy governor, Abubakar Sani Danladi, from the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary over alleged certificate forgery and age falsification.

In a letter dated May 10, addressed to APC national chairman and other chieftains, Taraba Patriotic Front argued that the discrepancies in Mr Danladi’s certificates, suspected to be forged, and his unresolved legal battles over age falsification, renders him ineligible for the position he seeks.

The document signed by the group’s coordinator, Wayas Benjamin, stressed that APC could lose Taraba North Senatorial District seat as was the case in 2019 when a supreme court verdict barred the party and Mr Danladi – governorship candidate at the time, from contesting due to age falsification.

“I strongly believe that disqualifying Abubakar Sani Danladi from contesting the election is in the best interest of not only the APC, but Taraba state, because he has been in and out of court several times on issues of dishonesty, false declaration and lying on oath as relates to the information contained in the affidavit supporting his personal particulars submitted to INEC,” Mr Benjamin said.

“The suit borders around dishonesty, false declaration and lying on oath as relates to the information contained in the affidavit supporting the personal particulars submitted to INEC by Abubakar Sani Danladi,” Mr Benjamin continued.

The letter explained that Mr Danladi had yet to prove he was “educated up to school certificate level or its equivalent,” a mandatory requirement for anyone aspiring for the senatorial office.

“This fact is evidenced by a sworn declaration affidavit, declared to by Abubakar Sani Danladi, wherein the content of the affidavit had to be read over to him by an interpreter who also counter signed the Affidavit, dated 17th February 2004.”

“It can be said that the Abubakar Sani Danladi who could not read and write English language in 2004 is not the same person who owns a WAEC certificate which would imply that he could read and write English language as far back as June 2001 when the WAEC examination took place,” stated the letter.

Mr Benjamin further noted the candidacy of Mr Danladi put the party at a great disadvantage as it stood the risk of being disqualified, thereby robbing other qualified candidates and the entire Taraba North from voting their preferred APC candidate.

“It just cannot be over emphasised that the candidacy of Abubakar Sani Danladi is not worth the associated risks to our great party and that, it is in the best interest of all stakeholders for him to be disqualified from contesting,” concluded the letter from Taraba Patriotic Front.