The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Friday, continued its quest to upturn the results of the Edo State Governorship Election by calling more witnesses at the election tribunal challenging the declaration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Monday Okpebholo, winner in the Sept. 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo.
Five witnesses testified before the Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel of the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal now sitting in Abuja.
The witnesses alleged instances of over-voting in their polling units as APC, Okpebholo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), through their lawyers, disagreed with their evidence.
The PDP and it’s candidate, Dr Asue Ighodalo, and six other parties are contesting the outcome.
They petitioned INEC, Gov. Okpebholo, APC as 1st to 3rd respondents, respectively before the tribunal.
They prayed the tribunal to nullify the election results, alleging that the process was riddled with irregularities.
Led in evidence by the petitioners’ counsel, Rotimi Ogunesan, SAN, the 15th petitioner’s witness (PW-15), Haruna Ibrahim, a 34-year-old businessman residing in Sabo Quarters, Auchi, adopted his witness statement.
During cross-examination by the INEC lawyer, Kanu Agabi, SAN, Ibrahim admitted to signing the result sheet for his ward.
However, he clarified that he did so only to obtain a copy for his party.
When Agabi suggested that signing the result sheet indicated the election was credible, PW-15 disagreed.
While being cross-examining by Okpebholo’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, PW-15 reiterated his claim of over-voting in his polling unit.
“In this paragraph, column 7, that is my unit column. We had over-voting in that unit.
“The total votes cast exceeded the recorded votes. I made an official protest, but my efforts for cancellation were declined,” the witness insisted.
He further alleged discrepancies between the figures recorded on the result sheet presented at the tribunal and those from the election day:
“This form is from my unit, but the figures do not correspond to the records from my unit.”
The tribunal admitted the witness’ agent card as evidence upon the request by the petitioners’ counsel, despite objections from the respondents’ lawyers.
“Court admits the agent’s card as evidence and reserves judgment on the objection to its admissibility,” the tribunal ruled.
Other witnesses who testified include Esther Okuo, a 27-year-old farmer from Igarra, Akoko-Edo LGA as 16th petitioner’s witness (PW-16); and Abubakar Uzairu, the PW-17), a teacher from Owan East LGA.
It also included Asuluka Righteousness, a motorcyclist from Enwan in Akoko-Edo LGA as PW-18 and Mutairu Yusuf, a farmer from Agbede in Etsako West LGA as PW-19.
The tribunal then adjourned hearing until Feb. 3.
Credit: NAN
