More Witnesses Testify At Tribunal Nasarawa

More witnesses yesterday testified at the ongoing governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

All seven witnesses called by counsel to Governor Abdullahi Sule, Dr. Mubarak Adekilekun, alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in the March 18 election in the state were shortchanged at wards collation level by depletion of votes against the governor.

The witnesses were drawn from Keffi, Toto and Nassarawa local government areas respectfully.

One of the witnesses Mukthar Ibrahim, a civil servant from Keffi, alleged that his party, APC was shortchanged in Halilu Rahaman Primary School with Polling Unit Code 012, EW36, because its results was reduced at the point of entry on Form EC8B, EW52.

He alleged that while APC scored 229 votes and PDP got 1 vote at the polling unit, at the ward collation centre it was recorded that APC got 224 and PDD has 6.

Also testifying, Habibu Ahmed Sarki, which was led by the counsel to APC also alleged that his party, the APC’s votes were reduced in his Elaita Primary School polling unit with Code 010, in Ara II ward of Nasarawa Local Government Area. 

The witness confirmed that in Elaita Primary School with Polling Unit Code 010, RW25, APC scored 127, while PDP has 31. He said to his dismay while entering same results at the Ara II electoral ward, RW45, the APC was recorded to have scored 49 votes, while the PDP got 109.

Ibrahim Danlami Umar, on his part, Umar claimed that results recorded on EC8A at his Kwatan Guto Emir of Agatu Palace polling unit 008, RW22, where APC scored 141 votes and PDP 5, is completely at variance with the results recorded on Form EC8B at Guto/Aisa electoral ward, EW43, where it was said APC scored 83, while PDP got 63.

Abdulkadir Adamu Jibrin, another respondent witness, said that results from Federal Low Cost with Polling Unit Code 007, RW29, Behind Maikankan with Polling Unit Code 012, RW30 and Ahmadiyya Commnity School with Polling Unit Code 023, RW30, all in Nasarawa North electoral ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area, there was non-collation of APC results.

According to him, APC scored 192 votes at the Behind Maikankan polling unit but only 156 votes was entered on Form EC8B, EW47, while PDP got 17 at the polling unit but was recorded to have scored 53.

Lead counsel to the petitioners, Jibrin Samuel Okutekpa, sought to tender certified true copies of Form EC8As for polling units 007 and 012, but his requested was objected to by the lead counsels to the first, second and third respondents.

Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ishiaka Mudi Dikko, while objecting to the admissibility of the document, expressed strong reservations on its authenticity, saying categorically that the document being tendered by the petitioners were not uploaded from IREV.

Similarly, Counsel to Governor Sule, Adekilekun, observed that the documents tendered  before the tribunal by the petitioners were never on IREV but mere concoction.

On his part, counsel to the APC, Mathew Burkah, confirmed from one of the witnesses that on March 18th, 2023, two separate elections took place namely the House of Assembly and Governorship election.

Burkah objected to the admissibility of the documents tendered by the petitioners because, according to him, “I can see House of Assembly written at one corner” of the document. 

All respondents’ counsel promised to advance further reasons for their objection in their written addresses. 

Earlier , counsel to Governor Sule, Adekilekun applied to tender Certified True Copy  of election results for two wards of Shege Ward One in Toto LGA and EC8 B for Gidan Ausa Two as well as receipt of payment as exhibits in support of their defense.

However, Ishaka Mudi Dikko SAN for INEC and Mathew Burkah SAN for APC did not object to the admissibility of the documents. However, PDP lead counsel Jibrin Samuel Okutepa SAN objected the application saying they will advance their reasons in their final written addresses.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi granted the application and marked the documents as exhibits

The tribunal chairman then adjourned hearing till today.