PDP, Abba Urge Kano Gov Election Tribunal To Strike Out Evidence, Exhibits Tendered By INEC Staff

The March 2019 Kano state gubernatorial election candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Abba Kabiru Yusuf on Monday urged the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to dismiss the evidence tendered before the court by an Electoral Officer attached to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

 Earlier Counsel to the electoral commission Barrister Adedayo Adedeji led one Idris Mohammed a staff of the commission in giving evidence before the court.

The witness told the court that he was attached to Dala Local Government in his capacity as the  Electoral Officer, stating that the March 23rd, 2019 gubernatorial elections was cancelled owing to cases of over-voting and violence in some polling units in the LG area.

Speaking under cross-examination, Idris Mohammed said he was not the Local Government Collation Officer for the governorship election, adding that neither did he served as the Ward  Collation Officer.

When questioned on the origin of the exhibits he sought to tender to the court, he confessed that he is not the author of the exhibits, explaining that he could not have authored the documents, since he did not serve as a Collation Officer during the elections.

He informed the court that INEC on the date of the elections dispatched thousands of  its officials across the state  to conduct the governorship polls, disclosing that he, Mohammed was not at any time  assigned by his employers  to serve as Presiding or Collation Officer, during March 23rd and 9th April governorship elections

According to him, the result sheets that were generated from Dala Local Government were signed by the duly assigned officials, not him although as the LG Electoral Officer, the materials used for the elections on the completion of the exercise were handed into his custody.

The witness in response to questions raised by counsel to the petitioners, said he made the depositions, though did not endorse it, further noting that as an employee of INEC the commission did not grant him formal permission to come before the tribunal to give evidence.

Counsel to the petitioners, Bar Adegboyega Awomolo(SAN) prays the court to discountenance the depositions made to the tribunal by the INEC staff. Stating that the petitioners will address the court on their objections in their final written addresses.

The chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Shamaki ordered the matter adjourned to 20th August for continuation.