THE Ward Returning Agent of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Umar Aliyu, has revealed to the Governorship Election Tribunal sitting in Jos High Court, Plateau State that he was forcefully sent out by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Electoral Officer when voting started without fourteen (14) BVAS and Presiding Machines belonging to the 14 Polling Units of Naraguta-B Ward.
He disclosed this while responding to questions fielded by Counsellor to the 1st Respondent (INEC), Dr. A. A Adewole, when he appeared as witness at the Petition Election Tribunal as PW4 in a petition filed by Dr. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, of the APC challenging the pronouncement of Barr. Caleb Mannesah Mutfwang, of PDP as winner.
Narrating what transpired during the election, the Ward Returning Agent of Naraguta-B in Jos-North Local Government of Plateau State, said”the voting started without the 14 BVAS and Presiding Machines for entire 14 Naraguta-B Ward Polling Units of Jos-North Local Government Area.
“When I protested for the non usage of the BVAS and Presiding Machines which were yet to arrive, the INEC Electoral Officer in charge of Naraguta-B Ward forcefully sent me out and took over and continued with the election at Febuba Polling Unit where I supervised”, he narrated.
However, when Counsel to the 3rd Respondent and of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Emeka Etiaba, SAN, asked if the witness signed the result sheet or stayed to the end of the election, he said he left when he reported the anomaly to the party superior because no such thing has ever happened on election day to his knowledge.
Counsel to 2nd Respondent, Pius Akubo, SAN, reminded the witness and asked if he was aware one Umaru Muhammad, was arrested with 14 BVAS and was facing prosecution. But the witness claimed he has no report of such happenings.
Also appearing before the Tribunal as PW1 was one Maichibi Sunday Habila, of Kura-Falls in Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area who was the Collation Officer for the Ward. He said the elections did not hold in 006 (Zakar Polling Unit) and 004 Polling Unit (Kachin) and there were no results.
One Jiks Luka Pam, who appeared as PW2 was the Ward Returning Officer of Bisichi Town-008 and testified that there was over voting at the Bisichi Town Polling Unit and the result was concealed because the the number of votes superseded that of votes recorded by BVAS.
As PW3, one Barnabas Gyang, appeared as witness. He was a supervisor of over 30 polling units agents who were appointed by APC and trained by INEC and he was called upon by the agent of 021-Kapis, Pam Shut, that there was a problem and the election was put on hold because some people went into voting without BVAS.
However, Counsel to the Petitioner, Edward Pwajok, SAN, promised to present eight (8) additional witnesses on the adjourned date Friday June 30, 2023 where the tribunal opted for not allowing any unnecessary addition of time in event of any observation that may arise.
