APC Witness Contradicts Party, Testifies Against Election Results in Nasarawa
There was a surprising turn of events at the ongoing governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State, as a key witness for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) testified against his own party. Aliyu Bello, the Secretary of APC, Nasarawa State, was called as the first witness by the 2nd respondent, but his testimony contradicted the party’s claims.
During cross-examination by the petitioner’s counsel, Bello was unable to identify the forms allegedly used to cancel election results at the Polling Units level in Ashige Ward. This is significant because the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Dr David Ombugadu, had emerged as winners in the election, but their scores were mysteriously excluded.
Bello also contradicted himself when he stated that the election in Ashige Ward was canceled due to violence, contrary to documents presented by the 2nd respondent which cited alleged over-voting as the reason. Moreover, while Bello initially acknowledged that the results were properly collated, he later claimed they were wrongly calculated and captured. He even denied the use of BVAS (Biometric Voter Authentication System), despite its documented existence in these areas.
Under cross-examination by the petitioner, the APC witness agreed that elections are solely won in the polling units based on the Form EC8A results. He further concurred that the only reliable source for proper result collation is the INEC BVAS IREV system.
Interestingly, the APC witness admitted his lack of knowledge regarding ECGPU40, indicating that elections were only canceled at the polling units, not in the Electoral ward.
Audu Sule, another witness, also failed to identify the forms allegedly used to cancel the election results.
With the conclusion of today’s proceedings, the tribunal adjourned to 24th, 26th, and 27th August 2023 for the continuation of the defense.
The testimony of the APC witness has raised questions about the credibility of the party’s claims and has presented a significant challenge to their case at the Election Petition Tribunal. The contradictions and inconsistencies in Bello’s statements have cast doubt on the party’s argument regarding the cancellation of election results in Ashige Ward.
The tribunal will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the governorship election in Nasarawa State. As the proceedings continue, it is expected that more witnesses will be called to provide their testimonies and shed light on the disputed election results.
The petitioner, Dr David Ombugadu of the PDP, has expressed confidence in the tribunal’s ability to uncover the truth and ensure a fair and just resolution to the election dispute. On the other hand, the ruling APC will need to present a stronger defense to support their claims and counter the contradictions highlighted by their own witness and others.
The eyes of the public are now focused on the Election Petition Tribunal as it plays a pivotal role in the pursuit of justice and the resolution of the disputed governorship election in Nasarawa State.
