Forensic report admitted as exhibit today at the Osun Governorship Election Petition Tribunal affirmed Senator Ademola Adeleke duly won the July 16 election with 402,349 votes to beat Mr Gboyega Oyetola who polled 374,256.
The report which the Tribunal accepted as a key document posited that the above figures were arrived at after reviewing cases of irregulaties.
The forensic expert, Mr Samuel Oduntan posited that “pursuant to the Order of this Honourable Tribunal dated 2nd day of September, 2022 directing the 1st Respondent (INEC) to allow the 2nd Respondent inspect all the electoral materials used in the conduct of the Osun State Governorship Election, the 2nd Respondent instructed me to carry out the physical inspection as well as digital forensic examination on the BVAS machine devices used for the election.
Noted that he was familiar with all relevant Electoral Documents based on experience since 1999 viz: Voter Registers, Form EC8 series, EC25 Series, EC40 series, Ballot papers, other relevant electoral forms / Guidelines and electoral devices, Oduntan noted that the Respondent instructed him to carry out statistical analysis on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) form EC8 Series used during the conduct of the election and also to carry out Digital Forensic Examination of the BVAS machines used in the conduct of election
“I examined the following documents (materials) / BVAS machices obtained from or supplied by INEC: CTC of Forms EC8A, EC8B, EC8C & EC8D ii) CTC of Forms EC40G (where provided) iii) INEC Osun State Directory of Polling Units, 2022 iv) BVAS Authentication Report v) BVAS Machines vi) INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of elections, 2022 and (vii) Manual for Election Officials 2022.
The report posited that of the 750 polling units being challenged by the petitioner, only six have issues as per over-voting as alleged in the petition with 771 votes of APC affected while affected votes of the PDP was 1, 022.
According to the report, votes of parties on EC8D were 375, 027 for APC and 403,371 for PDP. Less votes affected by irregularities are 771 for APC and 1, 022 for PDP.
According to the report, votes of parties after deduction was put at 374, 256 (APC) and 402, 349 (PDP).
Mr Oduntan who brilliantly defended the forensic report said the observations were reached in consonance with the global best practices required of a Statistician / Forensic Examiner in reaching the observations and discoveries made therein.
