Witnesses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday gave testimonies on how irregularities allegedly marred the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election in three local government areas of the state.
The Independent National Electoral Commission announced Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress as the winner of the election held across the 18 local government areas of the state.
Not satisfied with the declaration, the PDP and its candidate in the election, Asue Ighodalo, challenged the INEC’s declaration of Okpebholo as the winner.
Led in evidence by the PDP counsel, Abiodun Owonikoko, one of the witnesses, Kennedy Osifo, tendered agents’ copies of the election results for 76 polling units in Ward II of the Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state, where he alleged four electoral irregularities.
He alleged that the irregularities were observed when the agents’ copies were examined alongside the certified true copies of the results of the BVAS accreditation report obtained from the INEC’s IREV portal.
He said the discrepancies had been highlighted in his witness statement on oath, which he urged the tribunal to adopt in evidence in the case.
Osifo, who said he was the PDP local government collation officer in the poll, alleged that the INEC relied on incorrect scores to announce the final result of the election.
When cross-examined, Osifo said his testimonies were based strictly on the two documents and not on contacts with the agents.
Another witness, Adebayo Ogedegbe, alleged irregularities in 45 units across Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state.
In 41 of these units, Ogedegbe, who claimed to be the party collation officer for the local government, testified that INEC computed incorrect scores that negated the records in the certified true copies.
The witness alleged overvoting in four units, seeking to tender the agents’ copies of the results of the units in evidence to corroborate his claims.
For Owan West Local Government Area, Lucky Aroye tendered agents’ copies of results in nine units where he also alleged overvoting.
Aroye said there were no prior recordings of sensitive materials in seven units of the local government area, urging the INEC to adopt his statement on oath as evidence in the case.
When asked if the witness visited all the units in the local government as the collation officer, he said there was no way he could have done that, considering their number.
Kalu Agabi, Onyeachi Ikpeazu and Emmanuel Ukala, who are counsel for the INEC, Okpebholo and the APC, respectively, objected to the admissibility of the tendered documents but reserved their grounds to the final written addresses.
The tribunal chairman, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, said the documents were provisionally admitted in evidence and adjourned the sitting until Wednesday (today) for the continuation of the hearing.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
