The Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal resumed its sitting on Thursday, with a witness presented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) admitted inconsistencies in the evidence submitted to challenge the election outcome.
The witness, Mr. Eseigbe Victor, who identified himself as a farmer and served as the PDP agent for Ward 9 in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, testified before the three-member panel led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi. He stated that he received results from party agents stationed across 28 polling units in the ward.
However, under cross-examination by Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, counsel to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the witness confirmed discrepancies in the number of accredited voters recorded in documents submitted by the PDP.
For instance, while the PDP’s evidence indicated that there were 71 accredited voters at Unit 001 of Ward 9, the BVAS report they tendered showed 252 accredited voters. Similarly, in Unit 003, the IReV report recorded 116 accredited voters, whereas the BVAS report indicated 262. In Unit 004, the PDP’s evidence listed 107 accredited voters, but the BVAS document reflected 243.
Further raising concerns about the credibility of the evidence, the witness admitted that several documents submitted by the party lacked the official stamp of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He also acknowledged that PDP agents did not sign most of the result sheets, citing alleged errors in computation.
These revelations could weaken the PDP’s case, as the inconsistencies in their evidence may undermine their petition challenging Governor Okpebholo’s victory in the governorship election. The tribunal is expected to continue its hearing as both parties present their arguments.
