APC Opens Defence with Four Witnesses Testifying on Over-voting in Edo Guber Poll

•Begins nationwide e-registration ahead 2027

Adedayo Akinwale and Alex Enumah in Abuja

All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday, opened its defence in the petition challenging its victory at the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State, by calling four witnesses, who testified on the conduct of the polls.

The witnesses, drawn from Esan North East, Akoko Edo, Oredo, and Owan West local government areas, gave evidence mainly on over-voting, which was the main case being pushed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr Asue Ighodalo, first and second petitioners, respectively.

APC, also yesterday, launched a nationwide digital membership registration exercise ahead of the 2027 general election.

The party said the exercise was to ensure it had a comprehensive and up-to-date database of its members ahead of the next general election.

The APC witnesses at the Edo State governorship election tribunal, in their various statements on oath, which they adopted as their evidence, dismissed claims of over-voting in their individual areas.

During cross-examination by petitioners’ lawyers, they admitted that there were incidents of over-voting in some of the polling units.

Mr. Afuda Theophilus, a Ward Collation agent in Esan North East Local Government Area, led in evidence by APC’s lawyer, Chief Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, stated that the election in his area was free and fair. Theophilus said the result from his local government area was signed by an agent of PDP.

He also acknowledged that serial numbers of ballot papers issued to the respective polling units were filled.

While being cross-examined by the petitioners’ lawyer, Mr. A. J. Owonikoko, SAN, the witness admitted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to make, in the prescribed forms, prior recordings of the serial numbers of sensitive electoral materials used for the conduct of the election in the disputed polling units in Esan North East Local Government Area, contrary to the Electoral Act.

Similarly testifying, Gabriel Iduseri, APC’s Collation Agent for Oredo Local Government Area, told the tribunal that there was no complaint about the conduct of the election by agents of any of the political parties that participated in the contest.

Iduseri, however, admitted that the result from Polling Unit 8, Ward 10, was cancelled at the Ward Collation Centre due to over-voting.

Iduseri claimed that the voided results were not part of the results that INEC collated and released through its Form EC8C.

The witness told the tribunal that it was the responsibility of the electoral officers to confirm the correctness or otherwise of results submitted at the local government area level.

The fourth witness, Hon. Frank David, the APC Collation Agent for Owan West Local Government Area, acknowledged discrepancy between the accredited voters and the total votes.

Showing IReV report of Form EC8A of Ward 4 Unit 19, David confirmed that though only 36 persons were accredited, votes recorded for the unit were; 28, 1 and 8, amounting to 37.

Showing another exhibit containing result from Ward 8, Unit 8, David confirmed that the votes were 54 and 25, amounting to 79, while 1 was marked as rejected vote, making it a total of 80 votes.

The three-member panel, led by Justice Wilfred Kpochi, adjourned till today, following Ukala’s request, stating that the next set of witnesses the party intends to call would rely on documents yet to be tendered before the tribunal.

While the petitioners did not oppose the request, they informed the tribunal that APC had already submitted a list of 28 witnesses.

APC Begins e-Registration Nationwide

APC, yesterday, launched a nationwide digital membership registration exercise to update the record of members ahead of the 2027 general election.

National Chairman of APC, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, described the exercise as a long-conceived programme that had finally come to fruition.

Ganduje spoke during the signing of an agreement with Tunmef Global Limited, the consultant handling the project, at the party’s secretariat in Abuja. He stated that the exercise would provide the ruling party with accurate and scientific data, which would be crucial for planning and litigation purposes.

Ganduje stated, “We are always making history as a party. I want to thank Mr. President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for approving that we go digital. This programme was conceived a long time ago but didn’t see the light of day until now.

“But with this exercise, we are sure of having scientific data, which we can always use. During litigation, sometimes you look for a membership list and get a controversial one, which complicates your case in court. With e-registration, we can easily retrieve our data as it is.”

The national chairman commended the party’s financial independence, which enabled it to sponsor the digital registration exercise.  He also called on state governors and chapter chairmen to ensure the successful implementation of the project within the stipulated timeframe.

Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, said the e-registration exercise would enhance the integrity of the party’s membership register and strengthen its internal democracy.

Uzodimma dismissed concerns about opposition criticism, stressing that the ruling party’s focus is on organising itself to be a strong and respected party globally.

He said, “We are not afraid of what the opposition will say. Our duty is to organise our party to be respected all over the world.

“We are expecting elections, and APC is not a party built on a platform that expects no contest. There is no democracy anywhere in the world without a contest. Nigerians will decide.”

National Legal Adviser of the party, Professor AbdulKareem Kana, SAN, explained that the e-registration exercise would link members’ registration numbers to their National Identity Number (NIN). Kana said this would enable the party to access detailed information about its members at the press of a button and from any location.