…names not ticked on voters register before voting; 270 votes returned while 221 accredited
Hearing at the sittings of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Tribunal continued in Abuja on, Thursday with two of the APC witnesses, Mr. Ibiyemi Muyiwa and Mr. Adeleye Timothy admitting that even though they voted, their names were not ticked on the voters register.
For instance, when Mr. Adeleye Timothy, a private school teacher from Ekiti East LG Ward 5 Unit 2 was confronted with the voters register of the the unit where he was party agent, he quickly said 270 electorates were accredited but only counted 254.
However, when the witness was handed the voters register of his polling unit and asked to count the ticked names, he only counted 221.
Either 254 or 221, none met the requirements or what was filled in Form EC8A – POLLING UNIT RESULT.
The witness also said during cross-examination by the Petitioners Counsel that in an ideal situation, process of an election was after accreditation the name of the electorate must be ticked.
In the case of Ibiyemi Muyiwa, from Ward 11, Unit 002 in Ekiti East Local Government, who had said while adopting his written depositions that the election was free and fair, agreed during cross-examination that “though he voted, but his name was not ticked on voters register.”
He was confronted with the voters register already tendered and admitted as Exhibit from the said ward and unit.
Another witness of the APC, Mr. Dapo Osunniyi who was originally recorded as Ekiti East Ward Collation Agent turned around to give evidence with respect to Ekiti South West Local Government as collation agent.
He sought to orally amend the Written Statement on Oath before adopting same. Objection was promptly raised by the Petitioners Counsel but in the interest of justice was allowed to testify before the tribunal.
However, during cross-examination, he admitted that the ballot paper accounting form – Form EC40A, was not visible and as well not properly filled, although he further said he was not in the position to fill such form or set of forms.
Bada Francis Kolawole, from Ward 9, Unit 4 agreed that there were alternations on the result sheets, but he denied that he signed the alterations.
