As more witnesses from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) appeared before the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, cases of omission of necessary information and similarities in witnesses’ statements have characterised the proceedings.
After being cross-examined by counsel to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) a witness, Balogun Ewaoluwa, a part three student of the University of Ibadan (UI) from Remo North said all that she wrote in her statement were dictated to her by a person she could not remember.
It was discovered after scrutiny that her unit was deliberately omitted while her statement shared similarities with other witnesses’ statements earlier submitted to the panel.
On the claim of disenfranchisement in her statement, in which she was asked if she used the voters’ register to claim that 179 voters were disenfranchised, she responded by saying that she never set her eyes on the INEC’s voters’ register.
Also, on her claim that some hoodlums loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) disrupted the electoral process where she voted, it was discovered under cross-examination that such a claim was not included in her statement but was hearsay.
Another witness, called by the PDP, Mr Balogun Rahman, deliberately omitted the part of his membership of PDP in his statement, whereas, under cross-examination, it was discovered that he is an active and strong member of the party in his capacity as a youth leader of Ward 5, Oke Agbo.
When he was asked to sign his signature in furtherance of the cross-examination, the counsel to the petitioners, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) objected on the ground that the witness’ confidential details would be exposed, which led Osipitan to withdraw the question.
In the same vein, a witness from Ogun Waterside, Olufunlayo John, who claimed to be a businessman turned out to be a fisherman after being cross-examined by counsel to Abiodun, Mr Bode Olanipekun (SAN).
It was also discovered when scrutinised that the witness could neither read nor write, despite presenting a statement written in English to the panel and without interpretation or indication that the statement was interpreted.
He later disclosed that he was not privy to how his purported statement was written and typed.
Uche prayed the panel for an adjournment and the sitting was adjourned to today for the continuation of proceedings.
