Witnesses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday testified on how irregularities allegedly marred the September 21, 2024 Edo governorship election in three local governments.
The PDP and its candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo are challenging the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner.
Being led in evidence by Abiodun Owonikoko, PDP counsel in the petition, one of the witnesses, Kennedy Osifo, tendered agents’ copies of the election results for 76 polling units.
The polling units are in Ward II of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area where he alleged four electoral irregularities.
According to him, the irregularities were observed when the agents’ copies were examined alongside the certified true copies of the results of 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.
In his testimony, Adebayo Ogedegbe alleged cases of irregularities in 45 units across Akoko-Edo LG.
Ogedegbe, collation officer for the local government, testified that INEC computed incorrect scores that negated the records in the certified true copies in 41 of these units.
The witness alleged over-voting in the four other units, seeking to tender the agents’ copies of results of these units in evidence to corroborate his claims.
For Owan West LG, 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 LG, urging INEC to adopt his statement on oath as evidence in the case.
When asked if the witness was able to visit all the units in the local government as the collation officer, he said there was no way he could have done that, considering the number.
Meanwhile, Messrs Kalu Agabi, Onyechi Ikpeazu and Ukala, counsel to INEC, Okpebholo and the APC respectively objected to the admissibility of the tendered documents.
The lawyers, however, reserved their grounds to the final written addresses.
Justice Wilfred Kpochi, chairman of the tribunal, in his ruling, said the documents were provisionally admitted in evidence and adjourned sitting until Wednesday for continuation of hearing.
