Sensitive documents, dispute over payment — 5 talking points from yesterday’s tribunal session

Blurred result sheets, the tendering of sensitive documents and a dispute over payment for certification were the highlights of the presidential election petition tribunal on Thursday.

Here are the five talking points.

INEC CHAIRMAN RESPONDS TO ATIKU’S SUBPOENA

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), sent a representative in honour of a subpoena served on him by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku and the PDP, who are challenging the outcome of the presidential election, had subpoenaed the INEC chairman via a letter dated May 26 to tender some sensitive documents before the court in support of their case.

‘SENSITIVE DOCUMENTS’ TENDERED

The INEC chairman, represented by Morenikeji Tahiru, a deputy director in the commission, tendered documents which were described as “sensitive”.

Tahiru presented forms EC8D series, which represented the results of the presidential election from the 36 states and the federal capital territory (FCT).

Form EC8DA, which is INEC’s final declaration of result, was the second exhibit she presented to the court.

Tahiru also tendered the certified true copy of extracts from the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) in respect of Rivers state, as well as certified copies of accreditation data from BVAS, relating to all 36 states and the FCT.

Lastly, Yakubu’s representative tentered the certified true copy of the Form EC9 President Bola Tinubu submitted to INEC.

Due to the bulky nature of the information requested, Tahiru told the court that the commission packaged the remaining documents in flash drives presented before the panel.

INEC ACCUSES PDP OF NOT PAYING FOR CERTIFICATION

While objecting to the admissibility of the documents, Abubakar Mahmoud, INEC counsel, said the PDP was yet to pay for the certification of the documents.

Mahmoud also submitted that “many of those documents are not relevant”.

Responding to Mahmoud’s claim, Chris Uche, petitioners’ counsel, said his clients had already paid N6.7 million — and had receipts to the effect.

Other respondents in the suit objected to the admissibility of the documents.

OVER 18,000 BLURRED RESULT SHEETS

The Labour Party (LP), through its fourth witness, tendered 18,088 blurred polling units results.

The witness, Eric Ofoedu, a professor of mathematics at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said he was commissioned to analyse data from the presidential poll, specifically for Rivers and Benue states.

Ofoedu said he found that the electoral body uploaded unreadable data on the IREV portal.

However, Mahmoud objected to the admissibility of the documents.

He described the situation as an ambush, adding that the LP handed over a copy of the witness’ statement just a few hours before the commencement of proceedings.

The tribunal adjourned the matter to Friday for cross-examination of the witness.

MORE WITNESSES CALLED

Lumnie Edevbie, a director of operations at Arise News TV, was called as the LP’s witness and was taken in evidence by Patrick Ikweato, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The witness tendered a video statement made by the INEC chairman at Chatham House, London on January 17, where he gave assurances on the authenticity and effectiveness of the BVAS.

The video was played in open court.

All respondents objected to the admissibility of the witness statement.

In total, LP has called five witnesses while PDP has called 21 witnesses.