Mr Increase Mattias, who is the petitioners(PDP, Asue Ighodalo)’s seventh witness, PW7, at the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal on Thursday said he had no direct knowledge of inflated or deflated votes in the 2024 governorship election and that he relied solely on documents and agents’ reports without firsthand handling or signing of results.
PW7, who took the stand after the petitioners’ counsel complained that he ran out of witnesses on its first schedule and was relying on witnesses in second schedule in the case EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, involving Ighodalo Asuerinme & Anor v. INEC and 2 others(Monday Okpebholo, APC).
A resident of Akakaku town, Amendokhian village in Uromi, PW7 after adopting his witness statement was shown various documents, including certified true copies (CTCs) of forms, BVAS accreditation reports, and voters’ registers.
When asked if these were the documents he referenced, he affirmed and consequently presented his agent card. During cross-examination, the first respondent(INEC)’s counsel questioned PW7 on discrepancies in his evidence.
This included the BVAS which reports were certified three months after his statement was filed. PW7 admitted to deriving his conclusions from polling unit agents’ reports without being directly involved as a polling unit or ward agent. He then acknowledged that while some results were signed by agents, others were not, though there were indications of agent participation.
The second respondent(Okpebholo)’s counsel highlighted claims of over-voting in certain units and referenced exhibits to demonstrate that some results were canceled or reconciled at the ward collation center. PW7 maintained that some forms lacked serial numbers, despite being duly filled and supplied.
The third respondent(APC)’s counsel probed PW7’s role as an agent, noting he had no involvement with BVAS machines or direct participation in collation processes. He admitted he relied solely on documents and agents’ reports without firsthand handling or signing of results.
PW8, Aigbe Ighodaro Lucky, a 57-year-old interior decorator from Benin City, testified as petitioners(PDP, Igbodalo)’s eight witness, PW8. He identified his signed statement from October 11, 2024, and sought corrections to typographical errors before its adoption. He also referenced several documents, including agent copies of forms EC8A, BVAS reports, and voters’ registers, which were provisionally admitted by the court with respondents(APC, Okpebholo)’s counsel objecting and reserving their reasons for final written address.
In cross-examination, the first respondent’s counsel pointed out that PW8’s conclusions were based on documents obtained by his party and not through direct involvement. The second respondent’s counsel also questioned discrepancies in the cancellation of over-voted results and emphasized collation procedures at ward and local government levels. PW8 confirmed he had no direct knowledge of inflated or deflated votes.
The third respondent’s counsel underscored that PW8 did not sign or handle the documents he relied on, nor did his role involve using BVAS machines. PW8 confirmed that his responsibilities as a party agent were limited to reviewing presented documents.
The court adjourned after hearing the witnesses, with some respondents’ counsels reserving their objections for final written addresses.
