Tunji Wusu –
Ayiwulu Baba Ayiwulu, the star witness for the Peoples Democratic Party, appeared before the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Nasarawa State on Thursday. He testified and pointed out numerous irregularities that took place during the state’s 2023 governorship election.
David Ombugadu, the PDP candidate for governor, went before the tribunal to contest the election victory of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressives Congress.
Jibrin Samuel Okutekpa, the lead attorney for the PDP, called the head of ICT at the state’s Independent National Electoral Commission as the first witness at the hearing’s resumption on Thursday in Lafia.
During the polls, the witness presented BVAS screenshot printouts of the affected voting units. However, he was only able to provide two copies, as opposed to the expected five, and claimed that the remaining three were nowhere to be found.
It is advised that the current security measures be scaled up inside and along the route because of the inherent hazard and the necessity to prevent potential security breaches along the AKTS. In addition, the underlisted counter security is necessary. meProf. Charles Soludo, the governor of the state of Anambra, stated that the social register review was ongoing.
He claimed that the provision of palliatives is being hampered by the fact that Nigeria is already hosting refugees from the Niger Republic.
Senator Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna State, however, claimed that as opposed to the N5 billion sanctioned, only N2 billion has so far been released to states.
Details to come…Arrangements should be made to thwart any potential dangers.
Other results identified included those for the Lafia Central State Assembly Constituency and the Nasarawa State Governorship Elections. Total number of registered voters in Nasarawa State and the affected regions; BVAS printed form EC8As; handwritten results for every polling place in Nasarawa State.
Ayiwulu testified before the tribunal that the results of form EC8A in Ashige ward were wrongfully canceled and that the total score in form EC8As was improperly combined in form EC8Bs in Ciroma, Gayam, Azara, and Kanje/Abuni ward.
The witness made it clear to the tribunal during cross-examination by the counsel for the first, second, and third respondents—INEC, the APC, and Governor Sule—that the most recent governorship election in Nasarawa State was marred by numerous irregularities. He also pleaded with the tribunal to use the original and certified true copies with them to properly compile all of the results using the forms EC8AS, which are the original pyramids of voting results.
The witness urged the tribunal to investigate the discrepancies between the accreditation of the governorship election and that of the State House of Assembly Election in Lafia Central, claiming that the abnormalities were clear.
Following the star witness’ evidence, the PDP Lead Counsel addressed the court and stated that the party was prepared to hear the first, second, and third respondents’ defense in the case.
Justice Ezekiel Ajayi, the tribunal’s chief justice, adjourned the case for further hearing until August 18, 2023, at the conclusion of the day’s submissions.
