There were discrepancies in Oyo North senatorial election, Peller alleges

A former member, Federal House of Representatives for Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa federal constituency, Honourable Shina Peller, has disclosed that there were discrepancies in the February 25 Oyo North Senatorial District election results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Peller who was being cross-examined by INEC’s counsel, Mr Osita Mbamalu at the Tribunal said INEC failed to upload over 70 percent of the results before announcing the winner of the election.

He told the court that not all the result sheets were signed, which is part of the complaints of agents against the provision of the Electoral Act.

Peller had filed a petition before the tribunal challenging the INEC’s declaration of Senator Fatai Buhari of All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of election.

Peller, while being cross-examined by the APC counsel, Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi, also said there were missing results in some council areas within the senatorial district.

He further informed the court that he disagreed with some of the results declared by the electoral body in some local government areas of the senatorial district because of the alterations, over-voting and mutilation.

Peller said he won the election based on his calculation, adding that the result declared by INEC was wrong.

Two other witnesses called by the petitioner’s counsel, Rasaq Kamarudeen and Festus Olamide, also told the tribunal that there were over-voting in some of the polling units they monitored.

Kamaldeen, who said he worked as the Accord party’s ward collation agent for Ward 1 and 2 in Irepo LGA, informed the tribunal that scores were not recorded for the in some polling units.

He said that some of the collated results were missing and that INEC did not give results to some agents of the party.
INEC’s counsel, Mbamalu, told the tribunal that he would not be calling any witness in the matter.

APC’s counsel, Gbadamosi, informed the tribunal that he had two witnesses to be called and prayed for a 30-minute stand-down to enable him sort out some documents.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the court went on a break, Honourable Peller blamed INEC for the lapses in the conduct of the election, which he claimed to have won.

“We are in court today to challenge the result of the election of 2023 which we believe that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not comply with the provision of the Electoral Act 2022 and also INEC regulations and guidance.

“If they had complied, I’m sure the results of the election would not have been what was announced.

“As a voice of the common man, I believe the only right thing for a common man to do is to follow the rule of law and approach the court and this is what we have done today.”