Edo tribunal: Ighodalo, PDP area extra witnesses

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 extra witnesses from three native authorities areas within the state.

Recall that the PDP and its candidate within the election are difficult Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee’s declaration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, of the All Progressives Congress because the winner.

The petitioners at Tuesday sitting commenced its presentation of witness as three witnesses drawn from Ikpoba-Okha, Akoko-Edo, and Owan West Native Authorities Areas testified in help of the petitioners’ claims.

Justice Wilfred Kpochi led three-man Tribunal later adjourned sitting to Wednesday for continuation of listening to of the petition.

On the resumption of proceedings on Wednesday, the witnesses of the PDP and its candidate gave testimonies earlier than the courtroom, declare broad unfold irregularities marred the conduct of the ballot of their native authorities areas.

Future Oghayerio Enabulele, led in proof by counsel to the petitioners, Abiodun Owonikoko, stated that in arriving on the averment on his witness assertion on oath, he personally examined paperwork used within the election which embrace however not restricted to licensed true copies of INEC’s abstract of the Wards collation outcomes.

“These are paperwork I personally examined fastidiously to reach at my witness assertion on oath. There was not prior recording of delicate supplies deployed by INEC to 19 polling Models in Ovia South West Native Authorities Space,” he stated.

When requested by counsel to the respondents whether or not he participated within the makings of the paperwork he used to arrived at his assertion on oath, Enabulele stated that he solely participated within the making of Kind EC8C (Ward Collation end result).

Nevertheless, there was a mid-drama when the petitioners’ witness from Etsako West Native Authorities Space, Babah Idenobhe, informed the courtroom in his testimonies that there was over voting in three polling Models (models 021-023) amin his native authorities space.

It was nevertheless, found that a few of the paperwork the witness claimed to have relied on in arriving at his assertion on oath have been licensed by INEC on January 8, 2025, whereas his assertion on oath was deposed to October 10, 2024.

“One of many supplies I took into consideration in my deposition is the unique licensed true copies of polling models outcomes, photographed with with the BIVAS machines”, he posited.

Additionally, Moses Agbukor, from Etsako East Native Authorities Space, who functioned within the train as Collation Agent for his celebration PDP within the LGA, in his testimonies additionally claimed over voting and non prior recording of delicate supplies.

The witness had earlier prayed the courtroom to confess his Party’s Ward Collation Agent Tag, in addition to his witness assertion on oath as proof for the petitioners.

In the meantime, Kalu Agabi, SAN, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and Ukala, SAN, who’re counsel to the INEC, Okpebholo and the APC respectively objected the admissibility of the tendered paperwork, however reserved their grounds to the ultimate written addresses.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Kpochi, in his ruling, stated the paperwork have been provisionally admitted in proof.

He then adjourned the sitting till Thursday, January 22, 2025 for continuation of listening to.