Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday appeared before the Kano State Election Petition Tribunal to begin its defence against the allegations filed by Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The counsel to INEC, Adedayo Adedeji, led one Idris Mohammed to give evidence before the court.
The witness told the court that he was attached to Dala Local Government Area in his capacity as the Electoral Officer, stating that the March 23, 2019, gubernatorial elections were cancelled because of cases of over voting and violence in some polling units in the council area.
According to him, the cancellation of the outcome of elections in some selected polling units located in the local government area was formally reported to the commission by the assigned ward collation officers.
He further stated that the regulations guiding the conduct of the governorship elections have empowered INEC officials, who were dissatisfied with the voting process to dismiss the election outcome.
Mohammed explained that the official was mandated to write a report notifying the commission of the recorded cases of violence and over voting, which led to the cancellation.
The witness, in his deposition, told the court that the March 23 governorship election in some polling units in Adakawa and Bakin Ruwa in Dala LGA was cancelled due to issues of over voting and skirmishes.
Mohammed, speaking under cross examination, informed the court that INEC officials attached to the cancelled poling units and their ward collation officials acted accordingly by cancelling the results in the affected units.
He added that the report written notifying INEC headquarters was in compliance with the regulations governing the execution of the polls.
The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Shamaki, ordered that the matter be adjourned to August 20 for continuation of the matter.
