The Nation Newspaper

Tag: witnesses

  • Airhiavbere presents more witnesses at tribunal

    A witness called by Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 14 governorship election, yesterday told the Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Benin, that he was beaten up by soldiers during the election.

    Mr. Pius Ohumumwen was among four witnesses that were called by Airhiavbere.

    Ohumumwen said he was the PDP’s agent at Unit 4, Imaguero College in Benin.

    He said he was hospitalised, but did not bring the medical report.

    Mr. Ikpomwosa Eguaveon said he was accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to officiate during the election, but was not given any letter.

    Ikpomwosa said he was not a PDP agent, but a supervisor in Unit 18.

    He told the tribunal that one Tony Agugu voted with an old voter’s card.

    Mr. Alex Eguasa, who claimed to be a businessman and politician, presented a voter’s card which says he is a civil servant.

    Mr. Last Agbonnayima told the tribunal that election did not hold at his Egbokor village in Orionmwon Local Government.

    He said after 45 per cent of the voters were accredited at Osaretin Primary School, there was a stampede and the exercise was stopped.

    Paragraph three of his deposition states that Agbonnayima voted, but he told the tribunal that his lawyer wrote the wrong thing in his statement.

    Agbonnayima said: “I saw everything. It was terrible. I saw AK47 guns with men of the State Security Service (SSS). There was no voting on that day.”

    On whether he reported to the police, he said his party leader reported the matter to the police.

    Airhiavbere’s counsel Sunday Aguinede said other witnesses were not in court and assured the tribunal that they would close their case within the stipulated time.

    A PDP member, whose identity is yet to be ascertained, collapsed during the hearing.

    The man, who wore white flowing brocade, made some noise and fell. He hit his head on the floor and it started bleeding.

    The people sitting around him, including lawyers, fled.

    Some attributed the fall to epileptic seizure and others said it was a spiritual attack.

    After several minutes, the man was taken to the hospital in a police van.

    The tribunal judges abruptly retired to their inner chambers and sitting was disrupted for about one hour.

  • Edo Tribunal: Airhiavbere presents five witnesses

    Five witnesses yesterday testified at the continued hearing of the petition filed by Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 14 governorship election in Edo State.

    Airhiavbere is challenging Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s victory at the polls on the grounds that Oshiomhole allegedly lacks the educational qualification to contest the election.

    He also alleged that the election was marred by irregularities.

    The five witnesses called by Airhiavbere are Ms. Omolulu Ogbeni, Phillip Osawaru, Peter Osawaru, Deaconess Osaghea Marina and Madam Jennifer Ologbosere.

    Ms. Ogbeni said she was a certified crime and intelligence analyst and worked at the Los Angeles Police Department in the United States (US) for seven years.

    She told the tribunal that she joined the PDP over two years ago and was the party’s agent in Unit 27, Ward 12 of Oredo Local Government Area.

    Ms Ogbeni said: “Several people were using one card to vote repeatedly. I did not protest because security operatives pointed guns at me.”

    She said she did not ask for the result sheet after the election.

    A man and his son, Peter and Phillip Osawaru, testified that their names were missing on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) list of accredited party agents.

    They said they were PDP agents in Units 12 and 13, Urhonigbe Ward in Orhionmwon Local Government Area and said PDP members were driven away during accreditation.

    Phillip, the son, who claimed to be 38 years, could not remember the year he registered as a voter.

    He told the tribunal that he did not know that persons below 18 were not allowed to register as voters.

    Deaconess Osaghea said she was not a party agent but the PDP Woman Leader in her locality.

    She claimed that voters were given N3,000 each to vote for Oshiomhole.

    Madam Ologbsere said she voted at Oza Primary School Unit 12, Ward 10 in Oredo Local Government.

    She told the tribunal that money, canned malt, Gala and bottles of La Casera drink were shared by opposition parties to induce voters.

    The witness said House of Assembly Speaker Uyi Igbe gave oranges and N5,000 to voters at the polling centre.

    She said: “He told them to vote for ACN after sharing the money, but

    I do not know which party the people eventually voted for.”

    The tribunal Chairman, Justice Mu’azu Pindinga, urged Airhiavbere to increase the number of witnesses called because of time and adjourned till today.

    The timely intervention of security operatives prevented a clash between ACN and PDP supporters outside the premises of the hearing.

  • Airhiavbere loses bid to call more witnesses

    Airhiavbere loses bid to call more witnesses

    THE Edo State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday rejected the application of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July 14 governorship election.

    Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere of the PDP is seeking to present more witnesses.

    Ruling on the application filed by Airhiavbere’s counsel, Efe Akpofure, the tribunal said calling witnesses on the issue of qualification was no longer tenable because of its ruling on September 27.

    Chairman of the tribunal Justice Ambrusa Suleiman said the petitioner should bring witnesses but not those of the PDP, because the PDP has been struck out as a party in the suit.

    Justice Suleiman said the witnesses should be on the issue of electoral malpractices and not on qualification.

    Ruling on Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s application seeking the dismissal of Airhiavbere’s petition, Justice Ambrusa granted parts of the application and struck out other parts.

    Yesterday’s ruling brought the pre-trial conference of the tribunal to an end and one issue was agreed on for determination by the tribunal.

    The issue is “whether the petitioner’s allegation that the election was marred by corrrupt practices and non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2010 ought to be sustained as regards evidence adduced in the remaining paragraphs of the petition and the surviving relief.”

    The case was adjourned till October 23 for trial.

     

  • Oshiomhole urges tribunal to strike out witnesses statements

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday urged the Edo Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Benin, the state capital, to strike out the statements of witnesses in the petition filed by Maj.-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd.), the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the July election .

    In an application, Oshiomhole’s counsel Adeniyi Akintola said the statements have become an academic exercise in view of the tribunals ruling on September 27.

    Akintola said the statements relate to issues of academic qualifications have no bearing on the issues before the court.

    He opposed a motion on notice filed by Airhiavbere’s counsel Paul Itua seeking an extension to allow for more witnesses.

    Akintola said the application will serve no purpose and that the ruling of the tribunal has taken care of the application.

    He said: “The issue sought by the petitioner was qualification, which is no longer before the tribunal. The matters of pleading go to no issue.”

    Itua urged the tribunal to uphold his application and strike out Oshiomhole’s reply.

    Tribunal Chairman Justice Ambrusa Suleiman adjourned sitting till today.

    Justice Suleiman ordered Itua to collect certified true copies of documents pertaining to the conduct of the July 14 governorship election from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).