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As the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called more witnesses to testify before the governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, yesterday, several inconsistencies and similarities in the witnesses’ statements have continued to trail the proceedings.
A witness, Mrs. Mulikat Yemi, from Ota, while admitting similarities in her statement with another, Balogun Olanrewaju, during cross examination by counsel to INEC told tribunal to question her lawyer for the repetition, same error and omission in Paragraph 6 of their statements.
One other witness, Thomas Abiodun, a photographer, who appeared before the panel for the party from Iyesi-Ota, in Ado Odo Ota Local Government, claimed to have signed the statement he presented on June 16, whereas it was actually signed on April 6.
Also, paragraphs 3 and 4 of his statement, after being sighted and compared were confirmed to be the same with other witnesses’ statements.
Abiodun further lied on oath when he told the Tribunal that his statement was based on his personal knowledge. However, after being cross examined, he later changed this claim and said the information in his statement came from an unnamed official of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the same vein, it was discovered after thorough scrutiny by Counsel to INEC that witness statement submitted by another individual called by the PDP, Mr. Kushimo Akeem, a fabric seller from Gbagura, in Abeokuta North Local Government, was exactly the same with previous witnesses’ statements earlier presented.
