Ondo election: What 20 PDP witnesses said about Aiyedatiwa’s victory at tribunal
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PDP had told the tribunal that it will call 45 suspects to prove its case against the APC candidate. The 20 witnesses, who served as the PDP’s agents in the Nov. 16 election, admitted under cross examination that there was incidence of over voting during the election. The PDP and its governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, are challenging the election results in which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the APC’s candidate, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as winner.
The 20 witnesses presented by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in its petition against the victory of Lucky Aiyedatiwa of All Progressives Congress (APC)in the Ondo 2024 governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Akure on Tuesday said there was over voting during the election.
PDP had told the tribunal that it will call 45 suspects to prove its case against the APC candidate.
The 20 witnesses, who served as the PDP’s agents in the Nov. 16 election, admitted under cross examination that there was incidence of over voting during the election.
The PDP and its governorship candidate, Agboola Ajayi, are challenging the election results in which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the APC’s candidate, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as winner.
During the tribunal’s proceeding on Tuesday, PDP witnesses, who testified on oath, made significant admission on alleged over voting in the election.
Counsel to the PDP, Mr Dikko presented the witnesses’ statements on oath, claiming that there was alleged over voting across the state during the election.
The lead counsel to APC at the tribunal, Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), however, said that there was no proof to substantiate the claim of the petitioner.
Oyetibo, who cross-examined the witnesses, said that the allegation of over voting was “a mere figment of imaginations” that could not be substantiated.
Speaking on the need to present witnesses for their timely cross-examination, the chairman of the tribunal, Justice Benson Ogbu, appealed to all parties be more diligent, considering that the tribunal was time bound.
Ogbu, therefore, adjourned the tribunal’s proceeding until March 12 for further hearing of the PDP’s petition and adoption of the final written addresses by the Action Alliance and Social Democratic Party( SDP).
Five petitions were filed before the tribunal by opposition parties and their candidates, including the PDP, whose candidate, Ajayi, came second in the Nov. 16, 2024, governorship election in the state. (NAN)
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