From Tony Osauzo, Benin

Hearing in the election petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and it candidate in the September 21 Edo governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, continued yesterday with petitioners calling four more witnesses who testified that the election was marred by irregularities in some polling units in Esan North East, Oredo, Esan South East and Esan Central local government areas. 

In his testimony, PDP Esan North East Local Government Area Collation Agent, Mr. Igberaese Matthias, prayed the tribunal to admit his statement on oath which he deposed to on October 11, 2024 in support of the petitioners’ case

The 54-year-old witness claimed in his statement that there was over-voting in nine polling units relating to exhibits PCB 40- PCB 48 of Form EC25B series in his Local Government Area.

He said he relied on certified true copies of INEC’s Voters Register, Forms EC25B’s, EC8A’s, INEC election manual booklet, screen shots of IREV copies of Form EC8A, BIVAS accreditation Report and BiVAS Extract being CTC’s of Form EC8C, to make his statement of oath after personally examining the documents. 

He tendered IREV certified true copies of results sheets obtained from INEC and duplicate Copies of Polling Unit Results Sheets of Form EC8A given by INEC to polling unit agents and his party agent card as documentary evidence.

Matthias alleged that there was over-voting in polling unit 011, adding that he was aware that the uploading of results into the IREV takes place at the polling unit level.

Cross-examined by lead counsel to the 1st Respondent (INEC), Kanu Agabi, the witness said he made his deposition on October 11, 2024 while the screenshots of INEC’s BIVAS Report he relied on for his statement was certified by INEC on January 8, 2025.

Similarly, the PDP agent for Oredo Local Government Area, Aigbe Ighodaro Lucky, told the tribunal that there was over-voting in 66 polling units in the local government area and incorrect scores were entered by INEC for his party in favour of the APC during the election, disclosing that he relied on INEC documents to arrived at his statement on oath and adopted same as evidence in the petition.

Besides, Ighodaro testified that there was no prior recording of serial numbers of sensitive materials deployed for the election in the local government INEC’s form EC25B.

But under cross examination by counsel to the respondents, the witness said he relied on INEC documents made available to him in the formation of his deposition, despite never participating in the signing of the documents except Form EC25C.

Also testifying, Adekunle Oboh, PDP local government area Collation Agent in Esan Central, said there were irregularities in 23 polling units in the area during the election, adding there were no prior recording of serial numbers of sensitive materials deployed to some polling units in the area in Form EC25B.

He said the polling units results sheets were signed by his party agents up to the ward level before he signed Form EC8C and admitted that all the Forms EC8A (Result sheets) were counter-signed by INEC presiding officers, just as he submitted that the documents he personally examined that form the basis of his witness deposition were obtained from INEC by his party.

Wilson Ibhawa, the petitioners’ Esan South East Local Government Area Collation Agent, said there was no prior recording of serial numbers sensitive materials used in the election in Form EC25B in five polling units in his area.

Counsel to the respondents objected to the admissibility of the documents tendered in court but deferred their reasons to the address stage of the petition.

Chairman of the Tribunal, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, admitted the documents in evidence provisionally, pending the arguments of the respondents counsel and adjourned further hearing of the petition to today.