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Tag: Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

  • Edo polls: APC begins defence

    Edo polls: APC begins defence

    The All Progressive Congress has opened its defence in the ongoing hearing of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu is asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the September 28, governorship election over alleged non-accreditation of voters and over voting.

    The APC which is the third respondent in the suit opened its defence after Governor Godwin Obaseki closed his defence by calling 68 witnesses.

    Witnesses called by the APC insisted that they were not trained by the Independent National Electoral Commission but by their party.

    The witnesses that testified included Mr. Charles Adenomon, Diamond Ogieriakhi, Ugeleri Sunday, Emmanuel Omoregbee, Hon Osadolor Gilbert and Samuel Omoruyi, all from Ikpoba/,Okha and Ovia South West local governments respectively.

    During cross examination , the witnesses said no voted without accreditation.

    Diamond Ogieriakhi said he saw INEC officials ticked the voter register in his unit during voting and accreditation which he said was done simultaneously.

  • Edo guber poll: More witnesses testify for Obaseki

    Edo guber poll: More witnesses testify for Obaseki

    More witnesses on Friday testified for Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki, before the Justice Ahmed Badamasi-led three-man Edo election tribunal and claimed that the Sept. 28. 2016, governorship election was freely and fairly conducted by INEC.

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, are challenging the declaration by INEC of Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the election.

    The petitioners listed INEC, Obaseki and the APC as first, second and third respondents, respectively.

    Ize-Iyamu had since closed his case after calling 91 witnesses and tendered several pieces of evidence to prove his case of alleged irregularity in some polling units and polling wards in the 18 local government areas of the state.

    INEC, however, as first respondent, did not call any witness, but only tendered pieces of evidence to prove that the governorship election was freely and fairly conducted and that its declaration of Obaseki was in order.

    Obaseki, as second respondent, opened his defence on Thursday, calling 12 witnesses in defence of his case.

    At the resumed hearing on Friday, led in evidence by Obaseki’s counsel, Mr Adetunji Oyeyepo, SAN, the witnesses, who gave oral evidence after adoption of their written statements, claimed that INEC conducted the said election in line with the electoral act.

    The witnesses, who acted and testified as APC polling unit agents were: Joseph Ikponwmwonosa, Clement Obazee, Monday Efeloni, Bright Enodiana, Paul Aghiyisi and Osaretin Enaruna.

    The witnesses in their oral evidence, who maintained that accreditation and voting took place simultaneously on Sept. 28, 2016, however, contradicted their oral evidence under cross examination.

    Crossed examined by the petitioners’ counsel, Mr Roland Otaru, SAN, Ikponwonosa testified that his name was ticked both to the right and left in the voters’ register because he was duly accredited before he voted in the said election.

    But the witness could not, however, proffer answers to why some names in the same voters’ register were ticked only to the right, meaning that they voted without being accredited.

    Like other witnesses, Enaruna, who earlier testified that his name on the voters’ register was ticked twice to represent accreditation and voting, under cross- examination, could also not provide answers to the petitioner’s counsel’s question.

    Cross-examined by Dr Kayode Olatoke, SAN, INEC’s counsel, Enaruna said that “it will be wrong for anybody to say that voters were not properly accredited before they voted in my polling unit.

    “As APC agent, accreditation and voting were simultaneous and there was no complaint from any quarters,’’ he said.

    But under cross-examination by Otaru, the witness could not answer why names ticked to the right on the voter register were never ticked to the left, to show they were accredited before they voted.

    “Yes, this is my name on item 156 in the voters’ register, exhibit PO273. INEC official ticked it twice to show i was accredited before I voted.’’

    Confronted further with same document, the witness said: “I agree that all tickings are to the right and not to the left.

    “I agree that the ticking to the right was done by an INEC official,’’ the witness responded.

    As at the time of filing this report, when the tribunal rose for a three-hour recess, only six witnesses had testified.

     

  • Edo polls: There was accreditation before voting, witnesses tell tribunal

    Edo polls: There was accreditation before voting, witnesses tell tribunal

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Thursday opened his defence at the State Election Petition Tribunal in the ongoing hearing of the petition filed by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the People’s Democratic Party.

     

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu is asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the September 28 governorship election.

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday closed its defence by submitting 203 documents without calling any witnesses.

     

    It said calling of witnesses would amount to helping the petitioners repaired their case damaged by the witnesses they called.

     

    The six witnesses that testified before the tribunal as at press time insisted that all voters were accredited before voting.

     

    They told the tribunal that election was conducted freely and fairly in line with the electoral act and added that there were neither agitation nor complaints from anybody including PDP agents after the results were announced.

     

    Lovely Igene who hails from Ward 7 in Oredo local government said the PDP collation agent in the Ward, Orkar Friday, did not come to his polling unit on the Election Day.

     

    He told the tribunal that voting and accreditation took place simultaneously.

     

    Evbuomwan Jackson told the tribunal that Presiding Officer informed all parties the procedure for the conduct of the election which included simultaneous accreditation and voting.

     

    Attempts by Counsel to the petitioners, Yusuf Alli, to seek additional time for cross examination was rejected by the tribunal.

  • Edo poll: INEC to open defence Tuesday

    Edo poll: INEC to open defence Tuesday

    …APC counsel allays fears over recounting of ballot papers

     

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will Tuesday open its defence as the first respondents in the ongoing sitting of the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal.

    Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, had adjourned sitting to Tuesday after the Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu closed his case last Thursday with the recounting of ballot papers used in four local government areas.

    Counsel to INEC, Onyinye Azumonye, told the tribunal last week that the commission could not open its defence because it need to know the results of the ballot papers that were recounted.

    Local government areas that were recounted were Estako West, Estako East, Egor and Akoko-Edo.

    Justice Badamasi had earlier ruled that the tribunal’s secretary would today made known the results of the ballot papers recounting.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu is asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the September 28 governorship election which was won by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    Ize-Iyamu called a total of 91 witnesses for a period of 14 days against 400 witnesses that were to be called.

    Meanwhile, Counsel to the All Progressive Congress, Lateef Fagbemi, has allayed fears of the party’s supporters over the recounting of ballot papers.

    Fagbemi told newsmen that there was no problem with the recounting and that the issues would be dealt with at the appropriate time.

    His words, “There is no issue about recounting. When we get to that bridge we will cross it. There is no problem about recounting of ballot papers. What issues have been made out of the recounting?

    “I cannot be arguing my case in the media or the pages of newspapers. This is not the first time they are doing recounting but whether they are doing it the right way is another matter. I know that recounting of ballot papers is one of the weapons the petitioners can use effectively and the law has spelt out the procedure to follow. Our contentious is that the procedure had not been followed. It is not like the case of Oshiomhole.”

  • Edo polls: Ize-Iyamu close case Friday

    Edo polls: Ize-Iyamu close case Friday

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu will on Friday close its case in the ongoing hearing of the petition filed before the Election Petitions Tribunal.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu is asking the three-man panel headed by Justice Ahmed Badamasi to declare him the winner of the September 28 governorship election.

    A total of 90 witnesses out of 400 lined up to testify for Pastor Ize-Iyamu were called to testify before the tribunal.

    One witness, Moses Okikpere, who claimed to be a member of Action Alliance was subpoenaed to testify before the tribunal.

    During cross-examination, Moses denied submitting a report to his party that the election was properly conducted.

    He contradicted himself when he claimed that none of his party agents signed the election results but later confirmed that they signed after he was shown some Units results where his party agents signed.

    Moses insisted that he was a member of AA even though the petitioners listed him as a member of Progressive Peoples Alliance.

    On how he got the voter register with which he made his statement of claim, Moses said his party leadership never applied for Certified True Copies of voter register neither did he saw the voter register at the petitioners’ office.

    As at press time, ballot papers used in the election for four local government areas were still being recounted.

  • Edo: Tribunal begins recounting of ballot papers

    Edo: Tribunal begins recounting of ballot papers

    The recounting of ballot papers used in four local government areas in the September 28 Governorship Election in Edo State has begun.

    It is being done in the open court as ordered by the tribunal.

    Representatives of the petitioners and the respondents are monitoring the recounting.

    The People’s Democratic Party and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu are expecting to prove their allegations of over voting during the election.

    Meanwhile, the Tribunal has rejected an application of the petitioners seeking for extension of time to present its witnesses.

    The petitioners were expected to close their case by 1pm on Friday but pleaded for extension of time to enable it call more witnesses and conclude the recounting of ballot papers.

    As at press time, the petitioners have only called 90 witnesses against 400 witnesses lined up to testify.

    Lead Counsel to the PDP, Yusuf Alli, urged the tribunal to allow the reign of mercy to flow and grant them time but Counsel to respondents refused.

  • I signed result sheet in error – Ize-Iyamu’s witness tells Tribunal

    I signed result sheet in error – Ize-Iyamu’s witness tells Tribunal

    A witness of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the on-going hearing of the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City, Mr. Jonathan Ogie Alohan has confessed to have cobbled together uncertified documents to prepare his witness adoption statement, which he swore under oath.

    This is as Alohan, the witness, testified to have signed the result sheet in error”.

    Alohan, who claimed to have voted in the September 28, 2016 gubernatorial election said there was no accreditation, but added that, “I signed the result sheet after the election. I signed in error”.

    The witness further said he was not interested in non-accreditation when he examined the voters register. He said, “I was not looking for any ticking when I examined the voters’ register”.

    He agreed that the court certified true copies of INEC documents used for the election on the 20th of October 2016 but that a chart (table) was provided in his witness deposition, which arrived at with documents he obtained from his party immediately after the election and were not certified.

    According to him, “I was not looking for any ticking when I was examining the voters register, but I signed the result sheet before the APC agent. I was the first person to sign the result sheet before the APC agent. I signed in error.

    In the same vein, another witness of the PDP and Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Mr. Edo-Esamah Samuel said he was not in court to complain about improper accounting of ballot papers.

    He said under cross-examination that, “No, I did not complain that used and unused ballot papers fell short. It is not correct”. This statement contradicted the deposition he earlier made to the court under oath.

    Continuing, he said, “I voted in unit 4, Olua Primary School, Uselu. Out of the 19 units in my ward, I cannot remember how many units I am challenging”.

    While confirming that the information he deposed to in the court cannot be relied on, he said, “I agree my name and signature are on exhibit PO 4 (17). I have adopted my witness statement. I read my witness statement before adopting it”.

     

  • Edo: 400 witnesses to testify for Pastor Ize-Iyamu

    Edo: 400 witnesses to testify for Pastor Ize-Iyamu

    Over 400 witnesses are expected to testify for the People’s Democratic Party and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu at the ongoing hearing of the petition against the victory of Godwin Obaseki in the September 28 governorship election.

    Some witnesses who testified before the three-man panel insisted that there were no accreditation before voting at their various polling units.

    The witnesses who were Ward agents of the PDP in Akoko-Edo local government said they used incidence forms after the INEC card reader malfunctioned.

    They said there were over voting in during the elections.

    Those that testified are James Mayaki, Charles Osagbemeh, Richard Olori and Ayeni Sunday.

    During cross examination by Prosecution Counsels, James said he voted even though he was not accredited.

    He said there were no accreditation in Unit 2, 9, 11, 12 and 14 in Ward 2, Akoko-Edo local government.

    Richard told the tribunal that all party agents in Ward 5 signed the unit results and that he examined the pink copies of form EC8A before he handed them over to the party chairman.

    Hearing was still on as at press time.

     

     

  • Heavy security at Edo tribunal sitting

    Heavy security at Edo tribunal sitting

    There was heavy presence of security presence at the premises of the Edo State High Court where the State Election Petition tribunal is sitting along Sapele Road in Benin City.

     

    To avert a clash of political parties supporters, roads leading to the court were cordoned off. 

     

    The tribunal was scheduled to hear applications filed Governor Godwin Obaseki and the All Progressive Congress against the petition filed by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the People’s Democratic Party.

     

    Vehicles were allowed to ply one way along the dualised Sapele Road.

     

    At the last tribunal sitting, thugs loyal to both the PDP and the APC stormed the tribunal premises and it resulted in a clash which left about three persons injured.

     

    The heavy security presence prevented suspected thugs from gaining access to the tribunal premises.

  • Edo poll: 110 lawyers storm tribunal 

    Edo poll: 110 lawyers storm tribunal 

    …Pre-hearing session fails to hold

     

     

    A total of 110 lawyers including Senior Advocates of Nigeria Thursday stormed the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal as legal fireworks began in the petition filed by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the People’s Democratic Party against the outcome of the September 28 governorship election.

     

    Besides the over 100 lawyers present at the court, hundreds of supporters of both the APC and the PDP were at the court premises to show solidarity.

     

    There was commotion after the court sitting as suspected thugs loyal to both the PDP and the APC chanted anti-party songs.

     

    Three of the party sympathizers were injured as one of them was axed on the head and he was rushed to a nearby chemist shop for treatment.

     

    Former governorship candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Mr. Frank Ukonga, said he lost his phones, money and vital documents after he was attacked by suspected thugs.

     

    Ukonga appealed to security agencies to ensure that thugs were not allowed to the court premises in future sittings of the tribunal.

     

    However, the tribunal Thursday failed to begin pre-hearing session of the petition filed by the PDP and Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

     

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu, who trailed behind Obaseki in the election with  253,173 votes, is asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the election.

     

    Lead Counsel to Ize-Iyamu and the PDP, Adebayo Adeladun, had earlier informed the tribunal that he was prepared for the pre-hearing session but lead Counsels to the APC and Obaseki, Adeniyi Akintola and Ken Mozia said they were not informed about the pre-hearing session.

     

    Both Mozia and Akintola said they have applications that must be heard before the pre-hearing session.

     

    Akintola said there was need for the tribunal to hear all applications before the pre-hearing session commenced while Mozia said his application is to summarily terminate the petition.

     

    In his applications, Mozia requested for orders of the tribunal to dismiss the entire petition as well as strike out some paragraphs in the main petition.

     

    Adeladun in his application is asking for an application striking out certain paragraphs in Obaseki’s response to the petition as well as a declaration that Obaseki’s application was not mature for hearing.

     

    Counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mr. Onyebuchi Ikpeazu, told the tribunal that INEC was not aware that pre-hearing session was scheduled for yesterday sitting.

     

    He said they were not in the court for pre-hearing because the commission did not receive any information to that effect.   

     

    Chairman of the three-man panel, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, held that yesterday’s sitting was not fixed for pre-hearing session.

     

    Justice Badamasi fixed December 7, 2016 to hear all pending applications and gave the counsels time limit within which to file and respond.

     

    Mozia also informed the tribunal that the PDP and its candidate were carrying out scanning of ballot papers without the representatives of APC and Obaseki.

     

    He said continuous scanning of the ballot papers without respondent’s representatives was a breach of the tribunal earlier order that all parties must be present. 

     

    Chief Akintola supported Mozia saying they were not notified.

     

    But Adeladun told the tribunal that the respondents want to frustrate his client’s effort at scanning the ballot papers.

     

    The tribunal chairman said that its earlier orders were in order adding that no party should be excluded.

     

    Caption: An injured supporter of the PDP at the election petition tribunal premises Thursday.