No accreditation in Gov Bello’s polling unit, SDP’s Natasha tells tribunal

The Kogi central senatorial candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the last general election, Natasha Akpoti, has said there was no accreditation of voters at the polling unit where the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, voted during the National Assembly election.

Testifying before the State and National Assemblies Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, she said available records showed that there was no accreditation at the polling unit 011 Okene-Eba/Agasa/Ahache Ward in Okene local government, where Bello voted.

Akpoti, who testified as a principal witness before the tribunal, affirmed her written statement of oath which disclosed that the “respondents acting in concert with one another, by themselves and through their staff and agents carried out acts which were not in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2019 as amended, as well as Regulations and Guidelines for the conduct of the Election, 2019 in Okene, Adavi and Ajaokuta local government areas.”

Akpoti further disclosed that the total votes recorded for all the political parties in the polling units in Okene, Adavi and Ajaokuta local government areas were not preceeded with the mandatory requirements stated in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for authentication of voters using the smart card readers.

She also told the three-man panel that the election in the areas was marred by electoral violence, ballot-stuffing, vote buying, over voting, multiple thumb-printing, non-accreditation of voters, amongst other irregularities.

ALSO READ: Draw strength only from God to avoid falling, Okoh charges church leaders

The petitioner, who was led in evidence by her counsel, Ayo Asala, SAN, presented the result sheets of polling units and Voters’ register in Adavi, Ajaokuta, and Okene local government areas.

The chairman, Justice O. A. Chijioke, accepted the documents as Form EC81 marked as exhibit B3, Form ECA8 marked as exhibit B4A/E, Nine CTC EC8B forms marked as exhibit B5EIA, form EC8A1 D7A/7, EC81 evidence marked as exhibit B8A/E,

Others include exhibit B8A/10, exhibit B8A/11, exhibit B8A12, exhibit B13A/I, B14A/T B15, exhibit B16, exhibit B24(1-30), exhibit B30A/B, exhibit B31A/B amongst others.

After the presentation of evidence, Akpoti was cross-examined by the counsels to the first, second and third respondents.

Justice Chijioke, however, adjourned the consolidated petition by Akpoti of SDP and Ahmed Ogembe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Yakubu Oseni of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to July 10 for the continuation of hearing.