Ekiti Rerun Election Peaceful - Witnesses Insist

Source: ukpakareports.com

After the lull occasioned by the strike action embarked on by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), hearing of the Petition filed by the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi against the declaration of Governor Segun Oni as winner of the April 25 rerun governorship election resumed today, with all the witnesses called by the 1st respondent testifying that the election was peaceful and that there was no disruption of the process of voting.

The witnesses that included a Management Consultant, Dr. Bewaji Sunday Olofintila Respondent Witness (RW31), a Banker, Mr. Olatunji Olayinka Olugbenga (RW32) and a Poultry Farmer, Kehinde Fadahunsi (RW33) noted respectively that voting materials were distributed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials in all the polling units, adding that party agents of the AC signed Forms EC8A after votes were counted and recorded in the forms.

During cross examination by counsel to the 2nd Respondent, Mr. Obafemi Adewale, Dr. Olofintila noted that nobody protested after the results were announced at his polling unit at Ora-Ekiti, starting that he and his counterparts in the AC were not forced to sign the INEC Form EC8A.

Olofintila, who gave the total votes scored by the PDP as 35 and that of AC as 18 said; “After voting was concluded, ballot papers were sorted, counted and results announced publicly.”

While being cross examined by counsel to the petitioner, Chief Anthony Adeniyi, Olofintila explained that he was a patient of Parkinson's disease, hence the irregularity in his signature.

“I have an explanation on that My Lord. Ten years ago before I left the USA, I had shakers disease otherwise known as Parkinson. That has affected me till today. Even my bank, Intercontinental Bank has taken me on severally on this. At 62, it is not unusual but I maintain that my signature is good sometime and bad other times.

Another witness, Olatunji Olugbenga also noted that PDP had always won in any election in his Orin/Ora ward, adding that when the result was announced, the AC party agent, who he identified as Olatinu Babatope (aka America), signed the Form EC8A first before other party agents, including himself signed.

He however noted while being cross examined by Adeniyi that he could not comment on the code written on Exhibit 85 because he was not the author and the maker of the document.

In his own testimony, Kehinde Fadahunsi declared that if anyone comes to the tribunal to claim that there was not election in his polling unit on that April 25, 2009, that person will not be saying the truth.

He said PDP victory at the election did not come to him as a surprise because the party has been winning elections in the Orin/Ora ward since 1999.


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