The Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election Tribunal, at weekend, watched the video analysis of how forensic examinations were carried out on the election materials, particularly thumb prints used for the April 14 governorship polling in the state.
The forensic report and the video clips were presented to the tribunal by Salisu Abubakar, a forensic expert engaged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, Umana Okon Umana in the prosecution of their petition.
Justice Sadiq Umar while ruling in a motion by the petitioner, on Thursday, permitted the experts to show the video clips because they were pleaded in the petition and in their statement on oath.
Justice Umar dismissed the objection raised against the video show by Governor Emmanuel Udom and the PDP on the ground that the video would not, in any way, raise new issues outside the petition or prejudice the defendant in the petition.
The tribunal, however, did not allow oral evidence from the expert led by one Salisu Abubakar who prepared the forensic report on the ground that they did not make a plea to that effect in their statement on oath.
In his testimony after the video, Salisu claimed that they were experts in information and communication technology and analysing finger prints analysis was a component part of information and communication technology (ICT).
He told the tribunal that a person with a good knowledge of computer could effectively carry out finger-print analysis as they did in their report.
The witnesses admitted that although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not allow them to have access to its data base, his team had to use other technological means to detect the multiple voting.
Meanwhile, the election materials comprising ballot papers, voter registers and results sheets, used for the April 11election, have been moved to the custody of the tribunal for inspection by the tribunal.
The tribunal had on Monday subpoenad INEC to move the election materials to the tribunal.
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