…Alleges Exclusion By INEC
By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency in Benue State, Aida Nath, on Wednesday told the National and State Assembly elections petition tribunal in Makurdi that she voted for her party in the election.
Aida is alleging that the election that produced Philip Agbese as winner is invalid on the grounds of non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
Two of her witnesses had testified on Tuesday that they did not go out to vote because they were told that she was not candidate of the PDP for the House of Representatives for Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency
Aida Nath and the People’s Democratic Party who are the petitioners also alleged that Aida was excluded from the House of Representatives election for Ado/Ogbadibo/Okpokwu Federal Constituency, held on February 25th, 2023,as Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, didn’t comply with the judgement of the Supreme Court that confirmed her as the PDP candidate and not Francis Otta Agbo.
Answering questions from counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission, Orseer Agena and that of Philip Agbese, Mr Adetunji Oso, Aida disclosed that she casted her vote for the PDP
When asked by Oso about the interview she granted to Daily Post on February 25th, 2023 after casting her vote, she denied granting any interview.
Attempts by counsel to the petitioners to get a subpoenaed witness from INEC to testify was not successful as the tribunal in its ruling, stopped the witness on grounds that he had no statement on oath before the tribunal.
The panel held that allowing the witness to testify without a statement amounts to an ambush against the respondents as well as the principle of fair hearing.
The tribunal however, gave the petitioners time to file the statement of the witness and adjourned the matter to Thursday, July 20th, 2023, for the subpoenaed witness to testify and also, for the respondents to open their case.
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