Presidential Election Tribunal: Armed Bandits attack PDP, Atiku’s witnesses

 

The Presidential Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja Friday rounded off proceedings abruptly following report of attack of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s witnesses by armed bandits, on their way to the tribunal.

The petitioners who are challenging the outcome of the February 23 presidential election, decided in favour President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) told the tribunal that some of the witnesses listed for the day that were coming to Abuja from Zamfara State, were still hiding in the bush while proceedings were on-going at the tribunal.

The development came on the day collation agents from Borno and Yobe States, gave evidence before the Justice Mohammed Garba-led five-member panel tribunal.

Among the eight witnesses that testified before the proceeding was adjourned, included an ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Oluwafemi Ogunride. Ogunride who said he served as an Assistant Presiding Officer 1, insisted that he personally uploaded results to INEC’s central server, using a code he said was handed to him about two hours before the presidential election commenced.

He said he was specifically directed to ensure that he uploaded results and information that was captured by the Card Reader Machines, into the server, using a code that was provided by INEC.

Asked under cross-examination if he could remember the total number of votes both APC and PDP got at his center, the witness said: “On that day I did not have personal interest, I just wanted to do the job as I was trained so I did not check to know what any political party scored”.

Asked if he ever saw INEC’s server, the witness said: “No my lord, I couldn’t have seen it because I am not INEC official, I only worked as an ad-hoc staff for the election.

“The INEC official said the server existed and that was where we transmitted results to”.

Immediately the witness ended his testimony, one of the lawyers in the camp of the petitioners, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, informed the tribunal that the matter could not continue in view of attack on the other witnesses.

“My Lords, information we just got is that some of the witnesses we scheduled for this afternoon were waylaid by armed men while on their way. They were coming from Zamfara.

“This is a matter in which our witnesses are coming from far places”, Chief Uche, SAN, told the court.

Corroborating the report, Atiku’s lead counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, said: “To confirm, I was the one that was called on the phone and I had to repeatedly go outside to receive the call. I was told that some of them jumped inside the bush and up till now most of them have not been seen while some were greatly injured. In the circumstance, we will continue on Monday.”

Sequel to the development, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Garba adjourned further hearing on the petition, saying, “For the information you have given to this court, proceedings in this matter is hereby adjourned till July 15, Monday.”

The petitioners who have three more days to present their case, have so far called 36 witnesses that testified before the tribunal. (with VANGUARD online report)