Fayemi vs Olusola: Witness Disowns Exhibit At Ekiti Election Tribunal
A witness to the petitioners at the Ekiti Election Tribunal,
holding in Abuja, on Wednesday disowned an exhibit tendered and urged
the tribunal not to use it.
The petitioners, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and its
candidate in the Ekiti July 14 governorship election, Prof. Olusola
Kolapo had approached the tribunal to challenge the outcome of the
election.
The respondents in the suit are the All Progressives Congress
(APC), Governor Kayode Fayemi and the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC).
The witness, Aborisade Abolarin, who served as a polling unit agent
for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 14 election, stated
this while being cross examined by the counsel for the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan
(SAN).
Asked if his signature was the one on the Form for Polling Unit
005, Ward 9, Moba Local Government Area of the state, the witness stated
that it was not his signature.
“It is not my signature that is here (on the document). I disown this document,” said the witness listed as PW26.
Also a former councillor in Ikere LGA, Adeniyi Ibidunmoye, stated
under cross examination that he was a polling agent for the petitioners
during the election.
According to Ibidunmoye, who said he served as a councillor between
2008 and 2010, after counting of votes, PDP scored 219 votes as against
the APC’s 115, adding that some ballot papers cast for PDP were voided.
He stated that an argument ensued following the voiding of his
party’s votes, adding that he only signed the result sheet after the
argument.
Asked why he has different signatures on his witness statement on
oath and the one on the polling unit results sheet form, the witness
informed that he had two different signatures which he uses.
Another witness, Adeyemi Idowu from Moba LGA, informed the tribunal
under cross examination that, a total of 21 votes were voided at the
Polling Unit 14 Ward 10 where he was a PDP agent.
Meanwhile, all the witnesses called by the petitioners complained
in their written witness statements on oath of alleged deliberate
voiding of valid votes meant for the petitioners during the election.
The tribunal chaired by Justice Suleiman Belgore, will continue the hearing of the petition today.
Send us a news tip, Advert/ Promotion enquiries, General enquiries, Complain about a story, Submit an opinion, Submit a photo, audio or video etc. Send mail to bobojaytv @gmail.com
