In continuation of presentation of its case, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alongside its candidate for the September 21, 2024 Governorship Election in Edo State, Dr Asue Ighodalo, on Wednesday fielded three more witnesses from three local government areas in the state.
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Recall that the PDP and its candidate in the election are challenging Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.
The petitioners at Tuesday sitting commenced its presentation of witness as three witnesses drawn from Ikpoba-Okha, Akoko-Edo, and Owan West Local Government Areas testified in support of the petitioners’ claims.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi led 3-man Tribunal later adjourned sitting to Wednesday for continuation of hearing of the petition
At the resumption of proceedings on Wednesday, the witnesses of the PDP and its candidate gave testimonies before the court, claim wide spread irregularities marred the conduct of the poll in their local government areas.
Destiny Oghayerio Enabulele, led in evidence by counsel to the petitioners, Abiodun Owonikoko, said that in arriving at the averment on his witness statement on oath, he personally examined documents used in the election which include but not limited to certified true copies of INEC’s summary of the Wards collation results.
“These are documents I personally examined carefully to arrive at my witness statement on oath. There was not prior recording of sensitive materials deployed by INEC to 19 polling Units in Ovia South West Local Government Area.”
When asked by Counsel to the respondents whether he participated in the makings of the documents he used to arrived at his statement on oath, Enabulele said that he only participated in the making of Form EC8C (Ward Collation result.
However, there was a mid-drama when the petitioners’ witness from Etsako West Local Government Area, Babah Idenobhe, told the court in his testimonies that there was over voting in three polling Units ( units 021-023) amin his local government area .
It was however, discovered that some of the documents the witness claimed to have relied on in arriving at his statement on oath were certified by INEC on January 8th, 2025, while his statement on oath was deposed to October 10th, 2024.
“One of the materials I took into consideration in my deposition is the original certified true copies of polling units results, photographed with with the BIVAS machines,” he posited.
Also, Moses Agbukor, from Etsako East Local Government Area (LGA), who functioned in the exercise as Collation Agent for his party PDP in the LGA, in his testimonies also claimed over voting and non prior recording of sensitive materials.
The witness had earlier prayed the court to admit his Party’s Ward Collation Agent Tag, as well as his witness statement on oath as evidence for the petitioners.
Meanwhile, Kalu Agabi, SAN, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN and Ukala, SAN, who are counsel to the INEC, Okpebholo and the APC respectively objected the admissibility of the tendered documents, but reserved their grounds to the final written addresses.
The Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, in his ruling, said the documents were provisionally admitted in evidence.
He then adjourned the sitting until Thursday, January 22, 2025 for continuation of hearing.
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