Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN)
The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the October 20, 2012 election in Ondo State, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), yesterday told the Election Petition Tribunal that the poll was rigged.
Akeredolu said exhibits P52A, P1H12 and P16G12, which include the voter’s register, showed that the election was characterised by fraud.
He said the irregularities discovered in Isowopo, Akoko 01, Ward 08, Unit 12, were perpetrated in all units in the state.
Akeredolu stated that the tribunal can only understand the case by going through the exhibits and relating them with the findings of the experts.
He said there were cases of double registration, where voters appeared twice with different VIN numbers. He gave a typical example of one Abdulai Idris whose name appeared twice with different VIN numbers.
The former President of Nigeria Bar Association also added that invalid registrations of those whose thumb prints were not captured, were not considered as all voters were allowed to vote in some units.
Akeredolu, who was led in evidence by his counsel, Oluwole Aina, said his claims before the tribunal were contained in his petition.
On cross-examination by the counsel to the first, second and third respondents, led by Wole Olanipekun (SAN), he was asked whether his agents were at all polling units in the state for the election.
He responded that his agents were chased away from most of the polling units, adding that ACN only had agents in few polling units.
Akeredolu was also cross examined on the registration of his voter card and asked if he registered in Ondo State.
He said he did not register in Ondo State in 2011, but transferred his voter’s card to Ondo State legally as stipulated in Section 13 of the Electoral Act.
Akeredolu said he transferred his voter card from Jericho in Ibadan, where he was initially resident.
When asked which party won in his unit, Akeredolu said ACN won his unit and the three local governments recorded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said he accepted the result from Owo, Akoko Southwest and Odigbo local government areas because he felt he should accept it and not because there were no irregularities.
Responding to a cross examination by counsel to one of the respondents, Akeredolu said the forensic expert’s analysis on multiple thumb printing did not materialise due to INEC’s inability to do so.
He alleged that INEC intentionally provided ballot papers that “were in crumb after two weeks”, adding that it was difficult for any forensic expert to work on such.
The hearing on the matter continues.
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