Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday reaffirmed that the March 18, 2023 governorship election conducted in Nasarawa State was in substantial compliance to its guidelines.
INEC’s Deputy Director of Software and Training, Ama Abom Agwu, reaffirmed this yesterday when he appeared to testify before the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal Sitting in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
Answering questions during cross-examination by counsel to Governor Abdullahi Sule, Adebayo Adeledu (SAN) and Ishaka Muddie Dikko (SAN) for INEC, Agwu, told the tribunal that the election was conducted in substantial compliance to the guidelines of INEC’s 2023 election.
INEC’s deputy director said he was at the national control room in Abuja on the day of election, explaining that he did not upload Form EC8A for governorship election to the IRev, but produced password for the IRev.
Agwu told the tribunal that 3,242 polling unit results for governorship election in Nasarawa State were uploaded to the IRev representing 99.7 percent, adding that there were few instances where House of Assembly election results were uploaded instead of governorship results on the IRev.
Agwu added that transmission of results from BVAS to the backup of IRev requires internet service, but the BVAS machine had been designed to work either off line or online.
He further informed the tribunal that he is in charge of all technical training nationwide and development of technical training manuals for INEC, even as he added that he supervised the IRev.
He produced BVAS and IRev reports with certification pages before the tribunal as ordered by the election trial court.
The prosecution counsel, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), applied for the tendering of seven sets of documents before the tribunal.
However, Sule’s counsel, Adebayo Adeledu (SAN), Ishaka Dikko (SAN) for INEC and APC lead counsel, Rotimi Oguneso (SAN) who did not object to the notice of subpoena, letter of authority and ID Card of the witness, objected to the tendering and admissibility of other documents.
They added that they would advance their reasons for the objection in their final written addresses.
The prosecution counsel, Jibrin Okutepa prayed for adjournment pending when INEC produces BVAS machine and other documents, which the electoral umpire assured to produce on or before Wednesday July 19.
Ruling on the application, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Ezekiel Ajayi granted the prayer and adjourned hearing till July 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, 2023 for further hearing.
