The Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal yesterday ruled against another attempt by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, to amend a paragraph in their petition.
Also, a principal witness (PW 25) of PDP, Mr. Godwin Omoregie, and Ize-Iyamu said the party would go to any length to win the case.
This was as Omoregie, who hails from Ikpoba-Okha Local Government, owned up to the two signatures in his statements.
The witness said he used both during the election.
But tribunal Chairman, Justice Ahmed Badamasi, held that PDP’s proposed amendment could not be made by mere application.
The attempt to amend the petition followed the admission of an error by Ize-Iyamu’s witness, Daudu Sunday, who said he needed to correct “a typographical error” in the statement he made on oath to alter the number of votes cast from 650 to 652.
Daudu was testifying in the petition filed by PDP and Pastor Ize-Iyamu against the election of Mr. Godwin Obaseki in September 28, 2016 election.
During cross-examination by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) lawyer Adegboyega Awomolor, the witness insisted that the number of votes cast was 652 and not 650, as he had stated.
Daudu said he was PDP’s agent for Unit 4 in Ward 9 in Akoko-Edo Local Government.
Counsel to the petitioners, Roland Otaru, applied for his witness to correct the error in Paragraph 4 of his statement.
The lawyer described the application as harmless and amorphous, adding that the witness had not adopted the statement.
Adegboyega kicked against the application, saying justice was not a one-way traffic.
He described the amendment as fraudulent and an attempt to amend the main petition.
Obaseki’s lawyer Adetunji Oyeyipo said the time for Ize-Iyamu to amend the petition had lapsed and that it would make the evidence before the court to be at variance with the pleadings.
Justice Badamasi said the respondents’ reply to the issues raised by the petitioners were in order.
The tribunal chairman held that the correction could not be made by mere words and that the witness had not given reasons why he needed to amend his statement.
He said the application was not competent.
During cross-examination, Daudu said although nobody was killed or injured, but the election was not peaceful.
The witness told the tribunal the number of accredited voters was fewer than the number of votes cast.
Another PDP witness, Bright Osaro Osahumen, told the tribunal he did double registration during the voters’ registration because he lost his Permanent Voter Card (PVC).
The witness said he did not vote in the election.
Also, Omoregie, who attempted to evade lawyers’ questions, admitted that he would feel bad if PDP did not get its envisaged victory at the tribunal.
The witness denied being tutored, among other PDP agents and witnesses, to evade cross-examination and waste the court’s time.
Under cross-examination by lawyers to first, second and third respondents, Omoregie said he was appointed ward collation agent for PDP.
He said: “I did not act as polling agent.”
Omoregie said the 27 polling units in his ward were scattered, adding that he presented his voter’s card to the presiding officer who identified him before he voted at Polling Unit 26.