The Senatorial Candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) for Kogi Central, Barr. Natasha Akpoti, Saturday, presented her evidence before Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja which showed zero accreditation in Governor Yahaya Bello’s polling unit.
It could be recalled that during the 2019 poll, 405 votes was recorded for APC in the senate election at the polling unit where the governor voted while zero was recorded for other political parties.
Akpoti who testified as a Principal witness before the Honourable Tribunal affirmed her written statement of oath which disclosed that the Respondents acting in concert with one another, by themselves and through their staff and agents carried out acts which were not in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2019 as amended, as well as Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of the Election, 2019 in Okene, Adavi and Ajaokuta Local Government Areas.
Akpoti further disclosed that the total votes recorded for all the political parties in the polling units in Okene, Adavi and Ajaokuta Local Government Areas were not proceeded with the mandatory requirements stated in the INEC Guidelines for authentication of voters using the Smart Card Readers, adding that the election in the areas were marred by electoral violence, ballot-stuffing, vote buying, over voting, multiple thumb-printing, non accreditation of voters, amongst other irregularities.
Part of her evidences in the voters register certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed amongst others that there was no accreditation inline with INEC guidelines in polling unit 011 Okene-Eba/Agasa/Ahache Ward in Okene Local Government where Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello voted during the election.
In her statement of oath, Akpoti quoted the INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines 2019, section 11 (bi and bii) which states that, “where an intending voters’ PVC had been previously authenticated by the card reader as genuine, but the card reader could not subsequently recognize the fingerprint of the intending voter, such a person will only be allowed to vote if the following procedures are complied with by the Assistant Polling Officer (APO1):
(a) Request the voter to thumbprint the appropriate box in the Register of voters;
(b) Request the voter to provide his/her phone number in the appropriate box in the Register of voters.”
Going by the above Regulations and Guidelines of INEC highlighted by the Petitioners, the INEC certified voters’ register presented by Akpoti at the Tribunal showed Governor Yahaya Bello and other voters captured at polling O11 of Okene-Eba/Agassa/Ahache Ward, Okene Local Government Area failed the INEC’s procedures for accreditation and voting as there was no appropriate thumb print or provision of phone number against the FAs.
To further support the claim of irregularities raised during the election, Akpoti presented the result sheets of polling units and Voters’ register in Adavi, Ajaokuta, and Okene local government areas.
The lead Counsel to Natasha Akpoti of SDP, Ayo Asala (SAN) tendered the evidences approved by the chairman of the three man panel, Hon. Justice O. A. Chijioke as Form EC81 marked as exhibit B3, Form ECA8 marked as exhibit B4A/E, Nine form CTC EC8B marked as exhibit B5EIA, form EC8A1 D7A/7, EC81 Evidence marked as exhibit B8A/E.
Others include exhibit B8A/10, exibit B8A/11, exhibit B8A12, exhibit B13A/I, B14A/T B15, exhibit B16, exhibit B24(1-30), exhibit B30A/B, exhibit B31A/B amongst others.
After the presentation of evidences, Akpoti was cross examined by the Counsels to the first, second and third Respondents.
Justice Chijioke, however, adjourned the consolidated petition by Natasha Akpoti of SDP and Ahmed Ogembe of PDP against Yakubu Oseni of APC to July 10 for continuation of hearing.
