Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has called in additional two witnesses to testify in defence of his election before the Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Abuja.
The latest witnesses include the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Bori Area Command, Akubie Kenneth.
ACP Akubie, who appeared on the strength of a subpoena, told the tribunal that the governorship elections on 11th of April held under a peaceful and calm atmosphere.
The senior police officer said he patrolled all the nine local government areas under his command; namely Okrika, Gokana, Eleme, Ogu-Bolo, Tai, Khana, Andoni and Opobo-Nkoro, in a bid to maintain security on the day of the election.
Akubie Kenneth debunked claims that police officers and other individuals were involved in massive thumb-printing of ballot papers.
But under cross-examination by the lead counsel to the petitioners, Akin Olujimi, the Assistant Commissioner of Police declined to read out entries on the last three columns of a document from the Independent National Electoral Commission in respect of elections in Khana Local Government Area.
Counsel to the petitioners said the document contains evidence that elections did not hold in the whole of Khana, contrary to the claim by the witness that he personally patrolled the area.
Before now, another police officer in the person of Deputy Superintendent of Police, Yusuf Uba had appeared before the tribunal to testify that he witnessed massive thumb-printing in Khana and reported to his Area Commander.
However; A.C.P. Akubie Kenneth denied knowledge of such report but confirmed that he saw D.S.P. Yusuf Uba at INEC office at Khana.
Another police officer, Uche Mike Chukwuma, who is the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Borokiri Division, also appeared based on a subpoena in respect of his electoral duties in Ahaoda-East Local Government Area.
The DPO debunked claims that the elections were marred by violence but also refused to read documents shown to him by the petitioners’ counsel with regards to the conduct of elections in Ahaoda-East.
However, he confirmed knowing a police officer named Ezebiro Chisom who was earlier called in by the petitioners as a witness, and had testified about violence that characterized the elections.
Counsel to Governor WIKE, who is the second respondent in the case, has so far called in thirteen witnesses and has three more days to close his defence.
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