The discrepancies in the election results in EC8A, EC8C, EC8D and EC8E, Accreditation of voters and Accreditation Machine Sheet clearly showed that in some cases there was no election but figures were just allocated
By Julius Alabi, Akure
The Justice Obadugu-led Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akure has been bombarded with documents from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that showed the election was rigged in favour of Mayokun Lawson Alade, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the bye-election in Akure South and Akure North Federal Constituency.
INEC declared Alade the winner of the election held on February 26 with a narrow margin to edge out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Olumuyiwa Adu.
According to the INEC documents from several wards, there were contradictions in the form EC8A, EC8B, EC8C, EC8D and EC8E of the INEC documents tendered by the leading Counsel to Barrister Olumuyiwa Adu, Kehinde Aladetutire.
Other counsels appearing for the Petitioner are Olumide Ogidan, A. ILARI, J. Akeredolu
The counsel for the first respondent Mayokun Lawson Alade is Abiola Olawole Olaniyi, while Alabi Bankole represents the All Progressives Congress (APC) which is the second respondent. Abdulazeez Sani (SAN) and Femi Kuku representing Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the third respondent.
RELATED
Witnesses allege massive rigging in Akure Bye-election
The discrepancies in the election results in EC8A, EC8C, EC8D and EC8E, Accreditation of voters at the different polling units and wards and Accreditation Machine Sheet clearly showed that in some cases there was no election but figures were just allocated to Parties participating in the election even when the elections in those units have been cancelled by Electoral Officers due to violence.
Election documents from different polling units and wards were tendered by Olumuyiwa Adu’s Counsel, Aladetutire through the help of INEC official, Akinfotire Ibironke who was subpoenaed to bring INEC election materials used during the election to the tribunal.
Answering questions from the Tribunal, Akinfotire said “We were only asked by the petitioner to bring documents relating to the Units in contention and I am here with them.
The documents requested are in respect of Ward 1 Unit 002, Ward 2 Unit 009, Ward 5 Unit 001, Ward 9, Unit 004 and Ward 9, unit 009 in Akure North local government.”
The reports of the Electoral Officers in Ward 2 Unit 009, Ward 5 Unit 001 which clearly stated that elections in those units were cancelled due to violence during the election were also tendered.
Already, the first witness called today, Joseph David Oluwaseyi, a Party Agent of PDP in Ward 5 Unit 001 had told the Tribunal that there was no counting of ballot papers because the four ballot boxes at the Unit were hijacked by hoodlums and taken away but was surprised when figures, 2169 and 3358 were announced by INEC as results emanated from the Unit in favour of Mayokun Lawson Alade, APC Candidate.
“My lord, I did not report the incident to the police, even the police there with us are helpless while the Presiding Officers witnessed what happened that of that day. It was horrible. We did not count any vote talkless of knowing the figures scored by each contestant,” Joseph said.
However, Akinfotire Ibironke INEC official was asked to produce INEC Accreditation Machine Sheet required, she said: “My lord I did not bring it.” But Olumuyiwa Adu’s Counsel, Aladetutire tendered the certified copy of the document to the tribunal across the bar. Also tendered were the payment receipt generated from INEC to get all documents he had applied for.
There were discrepancies in the results in the Units in contention in exhibit P7A that is Accreditation voters in the result sheets and exhibit P12 INEC Accreditation Machine Sheet
In Ward 1 Unit 002, P7A showed that 144 was recorded in the result sheet but in P12 (Accreditation Machine Sheet), 38 was captured, in Ward 2 Unit 009, P7B is 26 and P12 is 18
In Ward 9 Unit 0004, the result sheets declared 199 while INEC Accreditation Machine Sheet shows 91. In Ward 9 Unit 009, Accreditation in the result sheet shows 156 while in INEC Accreditation Machine Sheet indicated that only 37 Accredited
In Ward 5 Unit 001 where the Electoral Officer cancelled the election due to the hijacking of four Ballot papers and boxes, Accreditation in the result sheet was 403 but in the INEC Accreditation Machine Sheet showed 401 while the results allocated were 2169 and 3358 in favour of Mayokun Lawson Alade.
Adu, candidate of PDP narrowly lost with 1,812 votes to the winner and candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mayokun Lawson Alade in an election believed to be heavily induced by vote-buying and other bridges of provisions of 2010 Electoral Act in the last bye-election.
Further hearing of the petition has been adjourned till tomorrow 8th June 2022 as the petitioner will make his case before the Tribunal.
