The hearing, which commenced yesterday, witnessed the petitioner, Kalu presenting four witnesses, who affirmed that election did not take place in their areas. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Ohuabunwa winner of the rerun but, Kalu approached the tribunal to upturn the declaration of Ohuabunwa and return him (Kalu) as winner having scored majority of the lawful votes cast. The first witness, Mike Ndu Esq, PPA Ward collation agent for Ututu Ward in Arochukwu Local Government Area, under cross-examination said there was neither accreditation nor voting in the area. He told the tribunal that what happened was that the respondent’s thugs snatched ballot papers and boxes, thumb printed and stuffed them with their own materials. The witness was corroborated by the second respondent from Nkporo in Ohafia Local Government Area. However, the tribunal could not take the three other witnesses because counsel to INEC, Dr Livy Uzoukwu objected to their testimony, saying he was only served in the court and needed time to study the depositions. Kalu’s counsel, Kelvin Nwufo, had earlier prayed the tribunal to order the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Umeh Kalu to leave the venue because some witnesses were not comfortable testifying in his presence. Tribunal chairman, Justice James Abundaga ruled after the respondent and INEC counsel opposed the application that, as an open tribunal, its operations were conducted in the open and anybody had the right to be there. Nwufor, who spoke after the sitting, said the petitioner wanted the tribunal to re-compute the result, stating that they (petitioners) already had the results, which he said was wrongly allotted to the respondent. He expressed confidence that the tribunal would give them justice. Tribunal Chairman, Justice James Abundaga adjourned the matter to today for continuation of hearing.]]>