By Vivian Okejeme Abuja
The All Progressive Congress(APC) and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)Wednesday, tendered conflicting election results on the November 11 Bayelsa governorship election before the State Governorship Tribunal, sitting in Abuja.
A former Minister of Petroleum, Timiptye Silva and his party, APC had draged INEC, elected governor, Senator Diri Duoye, his Deputy , Lawrence and the People Democratic Party (PDP) before the tribunal.
When the matter was called up, the electoral body tendered it’s own certified true copies of its results, while the APC polling units agents tendered various results in respect of the places the party was represented.
The conflicting results which were objected by the parties, were however, admitted as exhibits by the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Adekunele Adeleye for the tribunal’s consideration during the hearing of the petition.
Specifically, the petitioners are asking the tribunal to hold that election took place in three different local governments where INEC claimed that election was not conducted due to alleged diversion of electoral materials.
They were also allegations of bypass of the BVAS machines .
The affected local governments are Southern Ijaw, Ogbia, and Nembe Local Government Area LGAs.
Led in evidence by the counsel of the petitioners, Tunde Falola, the APC’s witness, who was a poling agent, Odungele Moses, maintained that the election took place in PU unit 15 ward 4 and tendered a result which he claimed was issued to him by the election presiding officer on the election day.
However, during cross-examination by counsel to the governor, Chris Uche SAN, the witness admitted that although 16 political parties participated in the election only APC which he represented as an agent signed the result he tendered. He, however, did not give reasons why others did not sign.
Another witness, Mallory Afin who also testified for the petitioners tendered APC results which had same serial number and number of accredited voters 169 with INEC but however had different results recorded for the political parties.
During cross examination by counsel to Governor Diri, it was discovered that the results tendered by APC in ward 002 was prepared and signed by the same presiding officer for ward 015.
The witnesses were also cross examined by Charles Edosonwon SAN who stood for INEC, Chukwuma Machukwu-Umeh SAN who stood for the Deputy Governor and Tayo Oyetibo SAN who represented PDP.
The witnesses though denied the allegations of parading fake election results but however admitted that only INEC has statutory powers to conduct elections and to possess superior documents.
Hearing continues today, 15th February.
